It’s one of my favorite seasons of the year here in the upper Midwest—peony season! I have early memories of being in my Grandma Ede’s garden surrounded by peonies and they have been a favorite ever since.⁣

⁣Right now, we are anticipating the massive peony blooms. The stems stand tall with the buds still closed tightly. As our garden has gotten more established and the peony plants have grown bigger, we’ve learned that we need to have the peony cages in place by now for the plants to have the support they need when they bloom. In some seasons, the simple rings have done the trick for the smaller plants but they’ve been overpowered by the volume of the bigger, more established plants.⁣

⁣This year we invested in what Andrew has called “the Taj Mahal” of peony cages. They are strong and architecturally beautiful but will allow the peonies to really shine as they bloom instead of falling to the ground with the weight of their abundant blossoms. The only problem was that we were slow to get them in place and the largest of the plants—that most needs the support—had already grown so large that we couldn’t place the more structured peony cage. Still, the support of a simple ring and the surrounding plants is better than nothing.⁣

⁣I am mindful that we are like peonies. We need support as we grow and bloom—and we are well served by having it in place earlier rather than later.⁣ Consider:

• ⁣As we move into a new season, what support will you want and need?⁣

• Who are your key people? (maybe a partner, friends, neighbors, colleagues, or from your faith community)⁣

• ⁣Who are your professionals? (maybe a counselor, coach, spiritual director or mentor, housecleaner, massage therapist, etc...)⁣

• What habits or practices do you need to prioritize? (maybe a daily walk, getting enough sleep, allowing people to help, you time, etc...)⁣

• What systems will make your life flow easier in this season? (maybe following a simple meal plan, batch working, a regular routine for tidying that’s shared by the people in your household, or forming a capsule wardrobe)⁣

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What is one support mechanism that would serve you well in this new season?