We actually got outside for a few hours today to pick up garbage and sticks in the garden and to reck leaves. It is just a start, a late one at that, but it is start to getting the garden ready for planting. The day was full of gardening but the night was full of sports. The Wisconsin mens’ basketball made the final four of the NCAA basketball tournament but lost the game tonight by one point. At the same time the Milwaukee Brewers went on to beat the Boston Red Sox in 11 innings by one run. The lost by Wisconsin was a bigger than the Brewers win but at least it was some consolation for this sometime sports fan.

The work in the garden left me refreshed; the two sports events left me unfulfilled. According to the discernment of spirits developed by St. Ignatius of Loyola I should learn what leaves me positive and what leaves me empty. But in our society of sports fanatics and artificial food the lesson is not so clear. Acting on what we know is best takes strength and courage that I do not always have.

Gandhi says: “Strength does not come from physical capacity; it comes from an indomitable will.” But I am not so sure about that. I know strength is more than physical strength but do not believe will power, no matter, how strong, is enough. I believe it takes some outside power. Working with the earth, it seems, makes one stronger than sitting in front of a TV watching sports.
Working with soil brings me in touch with something outside of myself while passively watching sports is like sleeping while awake; however, rest is good and sports are entertaining, take little effort and is something outside of ourselves and control.

Maybe a combination of active gardening and passive viewing of sports is best, or maybe not.

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