Is our life flourishing? It evokes images of abundant gardens and green growing fruit trees. We all want our lives to be abundant and to flourish. Many define flourishing as well being and a sense of peace and happiness.

Much has been written about creating a flourishing life and finding ways to create meaning and cultivate happiness in our day to day lives. Regardless of the actions to create a flourishing life, it takes work and patience. It doesn't happen instantly even though we live in a time of instant everything.

Psalm 92:12 says that the righteous flourish like the palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Additionally, Psalm verse 7 says that the wicked sprout like grass and evil flourish before destruction.
I can certainly relate to this as my garden seems to be prolific with weeds after a heavy rain and my planted vegetables are working to get the energy they need from the sun and ground even though they are surrounded by weeds.

So creating a flourishing life is one of righteousness. A path of work, maybe repetition, maybe less ease, and possible hardships. In the end the fruit will bear even if the ways of the wicked weeds flourish right beside us.

Wendell Berry writes in a poem:
"It is spring, and the little trees that sprouted in the abandoned field two years and more ago, striving to grow, half smothered under the shadows of the tall weeds, now rise above them and spread their newleafed branches, nothing between them and the light sky, nothing at all."

A flourishing life is one of cultivation. Rejoice in your abundance and know that there could be times of weeds distracting your sunlight at times!