I love the whole experience of putting in a garden. I like going to the nursery. Picking out the plants and seedlings. Arranging where they’re going to go in the garden. Cleaning off old pots that will house them just perfectly. Getting my hands dirty while working on getting them all into the ground. I even love the fancy sprinkler thing that waters them just right and makes me look like one of those people who can keep a garden alive all summer.

And sadly, that is where I fail. I end up getting busy, and forgetful and it’s too hot in the dead of summer to go outside and water. We end up traveling more than I expected or my drip irrigation ends up being faulty. You name it and it’s the reality of me and gardening.

The good news is that I have a husband that loves to water. He finds it very calming early in the morning or right at sunset to stand outside and look for any wilting plants, brown spots on the lawn, or broken drip systems to give extra attention. I mean what a gift.

I may be the planter and visionary of our garden, but he’s sure the one that keeps it thriving during the summer.

Which is exactly what every partnership needs. A planter and a waterer. A yin to each other’s yang. And they’re both required for a thriving garden and a thriving relationship.

One of you can’t be pulling all the weight while the other one just reaps the rewards.  You can’t be lopsided in the distribution of responsibility and you certainly can’t neglect and expect the other one to nurture.

Work to balance out all the essential aspects of your relationship and see what begins to grow. I have a feeling you’re going to be really pleased by it.

You’ve got this!

-A

P.S. Are you feeling overwhelmed by the lopsidedness of your relationship? Are you struggling to see how each other is pulling their weight? Reach out so we can work together before the perceived imbalance becomes too out of control.