What My Green Babies Are Teaching Me
This summer I picked up a new hobby: growing and propagating plants. For the plant lovers, I need not tell you how much joy my plants have brought me. Not only is it beautiful to see lush things growing in my home, but I am learning so very much along the way. Here are a few things my plants have taught me:
- Sometimes the soil does need to be changed. We hear so much about blooming where we are planted and I have first-hand knowledge of the painful lessons that come with being place-focused and location-obsessed. I’ve near perfected the art of blooming where I am planted and I have also learned that not every environment is advantageous for our growth. Sometimes we do need to change the “soil” – giving ourselves and our beautiful plant babies a new, fertile home to grow in.
- Some things are NOT optional. For our plant babies, this includes sunlight and water. And for me during this season of my life, this includes community, rest, healthy boundaries, nutritious food, intentional work, and regular pauses. No matter what I am doing or how my days shift, it is important to know the non-negotiables.
- Assess and adjust. I had an idea of where I wanted my plants to be. They didn’t always respond well to their predetermined locations so I had to learn to let go of what I thought the set-up would be and lean into what they need to thrive. And we get an opportunity to do this in our lives as well. When life isn’t going exactly as planned or we seem to be facing endless challenges, we can stop … assess and adjust, remaining in tune with what we need for this season.
- Pruning is painful but necessary. One of my least favorite activities is pruning my plants. I hate seeing leaves die – no matter how many new ones emerge. I know my plants need regular pruning, but I have yet to embrace this practice fully. How painful life becomes when we don’t understand that pruning is a part of our lives as well. AND if or when we become so fixated on what we are losing that we don’t see what is growing, we’ve truly missed out.
- Some things will die and this is okay. Two of my over two dozen plants and propagations have died and another is well on its way. I was devastated as I watched them become increasingly thinner week after week. I tried everything I knew to do but couldn’t save them. Life is like this. Some things will die. Some relationships will die. Some seasons will “die.” It’s okay. There are very few things that last forever.
I am learning a lot from my plant babies. I am slowing down. I am listening. I am adjusting. I am making sure I get the essentials I need. I am growing.
