The Art of Pruning: Choosing Yourself in Every Season

My favorite people in this world are the young and the elderly. They seem to have the clearest intuition and the strongest discernment. Both groups carry a freedom the rest of us spend our lives trying to remember — the freedom to simply be.

Children under four haven’t yet learned the art of overthinking. They know how to share a toy, but not themselves — and there’s a beauty in that innocence. The elderly, 85 and older, have lived enough life to understand that peace comes from choosing yourself without apology. After decades of pleasing others, they have learned to prioritize their joy, protect their energy, and refuse to let people treat them carelessly.

No matter how much we try to make them who we want them to be, both the very young and the very old already know who they are — and whose they are. I want to be more like them. I want to choose myself more, without conditions.

Lately, that has reminded me of gardening — specifically, the art of pruning. To prune is to cut away what no longer serves the plant so it can grow stronger, fuller, and more fruitful. I’m realizing that I’m in a pruning season of grief.

This season has asked me to examine who and what has overstayed their welcome. To notice who supports my growth — and who quietly hinders it. To release the people and patterns that no longer bear fruit. It’s uncomfortable work, but I’m learning to trust that God’s hands are steady. I’m grateful He has the green thumb, and I don’t have to.

Recently, at a worship tour, I walked in as the singer began a song about concentration — about putting distractions aside to focus on God. She sang about setting the phone down, being still, and truly listening. Her words were simple but heavy with truth. Presence is where transformation happens.

This post was hard to write — not because I didn’t have words, but because my thoughts feel like the weather when the seasons are changing: up, down, and all around until the new one settles in. Maybe that’s part of the lesson. Maybe becoming is supposed to feel like that sometimes.

So if you take anything from this, let it be this:
Be present.

Put the phone down. Close the computer. Shut out the noise. Ground yourself. There’s a lesson in this season. There’s a blessing in this season.

No matter your age, you are still God’s child. Remember whose you are. Remember who you are. Tap into your childlike innocence and live the life God already authored for you.

Written by Garnet Terri — honoring legacy, embracing purpose, and finding peace in the process.

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If this reflection spoke to you, I invite you to continue your own journey of becoming — in community. At Terri’s Detroit, we create spaces to learn, connect, and grow through creativity and care.

Join us for one of our upcoming classes or vendor events and take your next step toward joy.

(Upcoming calendar below — reserve your spot today.)

Oct. 19: Butter & Bliss Lotion Making Class Reserve Your Spot

Oct. 20: DWSD Resiliency Study - Open to the Public

Oct. 25: Small Business Saturday Become a Vendor

Oct. 26: Flavors & Friendships Reserve Your Spot

Nov. 15: Small Business Saturday Become a Vendor

Nov. 22: For the Sake of Cake - Decorating Class Reserve Your Spot

Nov. 29: Small Business Saturday Become a Vendor