Hello everyone! If you are like me then you love to hear stories where strength and determination
beat all odds. Where through a crisis something beautiful was born. I love to hear stories of
people who faced unspeakable tragedy, yet did not lose hope and encouraged others around them to
not give up.
Meet Val…This is our Valerian plant; in Germany we call it Baldrian. We planted “Val” as I like to call it, in 2020. And in the picture here you can see Val in the center with its long arms stretching up and out, displaying the sweetest smelling white flowers. Those of you familiar with the scent of Valerian might be surprised that its flowers smell so sweet, considering the roots smell like dirty socks. But it’s true! I love Valerian and my cats love it, too! In the late autumn I dig up the plant and take half of the roots and replant the other half. In this way the plant continues to the next year, and I have its power with me until then. I steep the roots in alcohol and make tinctures for sleep or anxiety, and I dry some for the cats. I can stuff toys with the roots or simply scatter some on the floor for a very
welcome “euphoric” treat. My cats know exactly where the valerian jar is!
And that is precisely Valerian’s medicine…To give rejuvenation through the most stressful of
conditions. You see our bodies require rest and good sleep to heal, to do a “system update” after exposure to a toxic environment. But so often we ignore the importance of rest and think that we must move, go, drive, get there, GO! All the time? Well, eventually it catches up to us and often it’s when we get sick that we finally slow down. Valerian comes to the rescue when I need to calm down a tidal wave. In the medieval age, Valerian was thought to be an “all-heal” because of its restorative effects during illness. It gives the rest the body needs to heal…very simple.
But what has this to do with overcoming the odds or finding hope when all is lost? Last year was a rainy, wet year. There were floodings everywhere you looked, and we would look in the garden and think where this water was going to go! It couldn’t hold much more. Well, Valerian needs well-drained soil and thrives in full sun, of which we didn’t have much for months. When I went to harvest that Fall, we found that the roots had completely rotted away. It is one of my oldest plants and it was sad to take it out of the ground. But we didn’t throw it away. For some reason my husband put it in a pot and just sat it to the side. Through the winter it sat out there undisturbed. Then here comes Spring and have already decided when to plant our next Valerian, and by the way…where is Val? There it was, where we left it…but wait…what is THIS? A tiny speck of green was peeking through the dirt and dead branches. Val wasn’t dead! Nay nay! Val was just resting…restoring…waiting for the spring. Here is Val now…
This plant is growing stronger than I have ever seen it! And that is the story of Val…Don’t give up if you’re facing a challenge. Sometimes it is best to give ourselves time for stillness and quiet. Resting the mind brings rest to the body. And you, too, will come back stronger than before! Have a great day, everyone! I’m Rebecca…till next time!