Lessons in Moderation and Sufficiency

I have a tendency to be obsessive-compulsive, which is a great characteristic for an editor and a gardener. However, it also has its drawbacks, as I find it difficult to pull myself away from certain activities, such as assembling a jigsaw puzzle, weeding, or reading a book. Integrating moderation into my life is sometimes a challenge.

The Rule of St. Benedict is a helpful tool for people like me because it provides a balanced schedule of prayer, work, meals, reading, and sleep. Perhaps most importantly, “On hearing the signal for an hour of the divine office, the monk will immediately set aside what he has in hand and go with utmost speed…. Indeed, nothing is to be preferred to the Work of God [i.e., prayer]” (RB 43:1, 3). The expectation that we will immediately set aside what we are doing so as to get to the chapel on time for prayer and mass is good training for curbing my own desires and compulsions and placing a priority on spending time with God.

Nature also has ways of thwarting obsessive-compulsive behavior. Today I was picking the last of the cherries, and no matter how I positioned my ladder, pulled branches toward me, and stretched, I couldn’t reach the enticing fruit at the very top of the tree. God provides food for birds and worms as well as for humans, and nature also has ways of teaching us when it’s time to stop. As Wendell Berry says, “We learn from our gardens to deal with the most urgent question of the time: How much is enough?”

We have a freezer full of cherries that will provide pie, cobbler, and jam for the community and our guests. Enough is enough!