It has been said that with age comes wisdom. I would like to expand on that and say that with experience comes growth and, hopefully, wisdom; and that can come at any age.
I recently came across a blog post that I found to be interesting and inspiring, so I reached out to the author, who, by the way, is my eldest daughter, Maeling. As I engaged her in conversation, I quickly realized that I was now her student and she had become my teacher.
She spoke passionately of her life’s journey and the valuable lessons she had learned through her travels, her journey in academia, her roles as wife and mother, entrepreneur and in this particular instance, her role as caretaker of her beloved plants. She said, “In my journey of caring for plants, I’m always receiving lessons from them that reflect aspects of myself…. Sometimes these lessons reveal beautiful truths and at other times they highlight truths that are not as easy to accept about myself.”
After this conversation with my daughter, it became clear to me that there were many things about plants as well as life that she could teach her dear mother. Here are just a few of the lessons that this mother has taken away from a plant lover who just happens to be her first born.
Lesson 1
As caretaker, I am compelled to not only create, but also maintain a nurturing environment for my plants to reach their greatest potential. The fallen leaves, dry soil, and crowed roots are simply indicators for change. These signals remind us to re-examine our environments and begin the process of recreating a conducive place for growth. But how many times have I limited my own growth because I was fearful of change? How many times have I listened to the naysayers as they question my abilities, my lack of resources, or discredit me because of my heritage? Have I become insecure and found myself paralyzed by self-doubt? Have I been so busy ‘doing’ other things that I’ve forgotten to ‘make room’ for myself? Well, as I have learned from my daughter, it is during these moments in life that it may be time for me to repot.
Lesson 2
As I allow myself to be repotted, I also need to take the time to recharge my soul. I must value the time spent removing anything that will impede my growth. I must begin to look for opportunities to share my gifts and develop my talents, not merely to help others grow, but so that I may continue to experience growth as well.
Lesson 3
Just as with plants, the process of repotting our lives is not always a one-time occurrence. With each new situation, there will be growing pains, which means that I may have to expand my circle or community in order to expand my roots. In the process I may have to step out of my comfort zone and be willing even to make some mistakes. But in doing so I must never forget that as with plants, I will be stronger for it.
Ladies, as you make plans to enlarge your sphere of influence in the home and in your communities, you will soon realize that with each repotting in your life, God has already gone before you. Each time you repot, remember that He is preparing you for the next phase of your journey. And as your roots go deeper and wider, you will be better prepared to face the changes that confront you. And yes, as with most things in life, challenges are unavoidable. In Ephesians 3:17 scripture reminds us to “stand firm and be deeply rooted in His love”.
This weekend as we honor the growth and development of all our Sligo women, my prayer is that God will plant each of us in whatever soil he deems best. And may we allow our lives, our loves and our dreams to take root in order that we might produce fruit that will bring glory and honor, not to ourselves, but to our Creator who has made all things good.
Hugs and kisses,
Maureen