Pruning Red-Twig Dogwood

Red-twig Dogwood

Today my sweetie and i toured our shrubs and made strategic cuts, down to ground level.

The red-twig and yellow-twig dogwoods are a case in point. Left on their own they develop brown woody stems, but the new growth is bright red on the red-twig dogwood. Cutting them back to the ground enables new red growth to spring up.

I often say that i have pruned my habit of aversiveness--spouting off quick opinions and judgments, irritation stemming from frustration,  impatience when other people don't "see" what is so obvious to me. I still have all these habits, but what springs out of my mouth is not the old, hardy woody stem of deep-rooted aversion. Rather, i vent in a momentary way, and often ask for forgiveness within a few minutes or definitely within 24 hours.

This admission that i have spoken harshly, even if it was only a small prick, usually keeps my relationships on an even keel. Some of my friends find it easier to "take" my irritation because i quickly come around to softening it.

I've been pruning aversion for 14 years. And i have to say, my mind is a lot more beautiful than it used to be.