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heavi ly forested yard. I also picked up some pine straw to mulch around the new plants, and a little wire fence to keep my dog out. Finally the job was done and I had a flower bed with 30 plants. It doesn’t look like much yet, but it makes me happy. I walk outside and look at it every morning. And, if I haven’t bored you yet, I will now explain why this is worth writing about. "More in a garden grows than what the gardener sows." Spanish Proverb You see, I haven’t done any gardening in over a decade. Oh, I’ve done plenty of yard maintenance work, but I haven’t planted anything new. I used to do a lot of gardening, but 13 years ago I found out my wife was leaving me. Gardening was something we did together, but it wasn’t why I stopped. I stopped gardening because I wasn’t feeling right or good or whole. I felt empty, lost, and sad. There are loads of logical reasons I could give for why I wasn’t gardening. I didn’t have the time for it. I had a business to run. I had young children to raise. I had to find a new wife . . . (Okay, maybe this one’s not logical). "One who plants a garden, plants happiness." Chinese Proverb Yeah, I thought replacing her would bring everything back to normal. Once I broke free of the initial staggering depression which hit me when she left, I started searching for a new wife. I imagine a lot of people do it. I don’t know how well it works out for them, but for me it wasn’t happening. I came close a couple of times, but I eventually realized I needed to work on the reasons my marriage failed before I got married again. “Show me your garden and I shall tell you what you are.” Alfred Austin, poet I put some real time into learning about relationships, including some therapy. Once I started this journey, things started to normalize in my life - not enough to put any plants in the ground! Over time, I learned in a healthy relationship both partners feel good about themselves, respected, cared for, and safe. I also came to understand instead of chasing beauty, charm, and wit, I was better off finding someone who was kind, com- passionate, giving, and joyful. “These flowers symbolize my health.” It’s all paying off. I’ve been gradually feeling better about myself for some time now - finally enough to plant flowers. Is it time for you to plant a garden too? Robert Robert is an author, humorist, and innovation consultant. He works with companies that want to be more com- petitive and with people who want to think like innovators. For more information on Robert, visit www.jumpstartyourmeeting.com or contact him via e-mail to michele@ worldwidedrillingresource.com Wilson cont’d from page 8. 30 JULY 2017 WorldWide Drilling Resource ®