Many people get the urge to plant something come this time of year. To some of us it may not matter WHAT (flower, vegetable, herb, etc), as long as we’re playing in the dirt and growing things. I had my first garden at 4 years old (taught by my grandfather), and it’s blossomed (pun intended) to the point that this year we’ll have nearly 4000 sq ft in agricultural use, mostly for raising food. I plan on gardening in whatever way possible until I’m ready to be planted!
It’s very likely that some of our clients feel strongly this way, too. In my eyes, these feelings are a sign of underlying wellness and an innate instinct toward better health. Eminent biologist E.O. Wilson calls our natural longing for contact with other forms of natural life “biophilia;” it is an aspect of our wellbeing to be drawn to life this way. As caregivers, we can help nurture our elders’ need to make this type of contact by helping them get their hands a little dirty.
