Recovery for for the most part, requires me to tend the garden of my mind with clearer eyes and fewer illusions. You know the plot I’m talking about—that slightly crooked raised bed I built one hopeful weekend with more enthusiasm than actual know-how. Some mornings I show up, roll up my sleeves, and plant fresh seeds of sobriety in the good soil I’m cultivating. I water them, watch the first delicate green shoots appear with excitement, and think, Maybe this time I’m finally getting somewhere.

Then the squirrels and weeds show up.

You’ve seen how it goes. Those quiet little invaders creep in overnight, weeds wrapping around everything good and choking out the the light. I spend whole mornings pulling them, feeling productive, only to catch myself by afternoon wandering down some familiar mental side path, wondering how my garden got so tangled again. The squirrels are even bolder. They don’t sneak—they swagger right in, climb the garden boxes like they own the place, and take cheerful bites out of whatever progress I thought I’ve made.

That’s how recovery feels sometimes. We show up, we water, and pull the weeds. But staying ahead of both the slow creep of unwanted weeds and the sudden raids that the chew on the growth I want, is where the real work begins. As Jordan Peterson puts it, “Deal with it or let it grow. Those are your options.” Whether in the backyard or inside your head—it doesn’t matter. The choice is the same. We have to stay diligent.

So today, that’s exactly what I’m choosing, steadier more diligent hands. I’ll make it a point to turn the soil, fertilize the malnourished spots, water the healthy growth, and lean on the people who notice when my leaves start disappearing and point out when the weeds need pulling. And I won’t be surprised when the squirrels return to the salad bar or when the weeds try their luck again. I know their tactics by now.

I will protect the garden of my mind quietly, consistently, and without apology—one stubborn, purposeful human intention at a time, with a fistful of weeds and a squirrel trap.