Dear Jessica Brennan,

We have goutweed in our front garden, sometimes called “the cockroach of the botanical world”. For those who do not know what goutweed is, it is an invasive plant that will not stop growing even if you pour gasoline on it and set it on fire. Although to be clear, I haven’t tried that…yet. 

If you dig it up, it just breaks apart and starts again. One tiny bit can invade an entire property in no time. This drives me to distraction. I cut it up, turn it under, pull it out and still it grows. I have tried to reason with it and let it have a small patch to thrive, but it wants to take over my whole life. Why, oh why is this happening to me?

Hmm, it seems like the more I resist it, the more it grows.

I could douse it with chemicals, destroy the roots and every root of everything near it. I could contaminate the planet to kill the vile goutweed, but should a toxin be the solution to this? Surely not. 

Hmm, toxic behaviour just causes worse issues, not just for the target but for those beyond the problem.

Some years, I made Dad run it down with the weed-whacker every other day to keep it at ground level. The problem still existed but no one could see it. The issue with that was, when I went on holiday and came back, the goutweed was ten times worse and it was really overwhelming.

Hmm, if I pretend it isn’t there, it gets more deeply rooted and eventually bubbles up with a worse reaction than I could ever have imagined.

Once the earth is turned, things look pristine for about twenty-four hours. But how will my garden ever be perfect with this goutweed creeping around?

Hmm, maybe things move from perfect to imperfect to perfect, as part of the flow of life.

This year, I will dutifully dig up my goutweed again. Turn the dirt, and pull as many roots as I can while it points and laughs at me. I will never give in to the goutweed and stop battling its nasty ways but I will try to accept that it exists in my world. I will try to remember that I love the garden and the smell of fresh turned earth. I need the tasks that take me away from the screen and get me outside, actively focussed on nature.

Hmm, acceptance isn’t resignation, and adversity can be a teacher.

This war of Mum vs Goutweed may be a lifelong battle with goutweed winning by a mile. I do hate it, but somehow each time I go out with spade in hand, I feel energized by the sport of taking it on even if I know I’m at a disadvantage. A battle cry surges within my chest like Sir William Wallace in Braveheart. 

I’m coming for you goutweed.

Love,

Mum xo