As you may know, I love looking at nature and seeing what it is saying to me and what lessons I can learn from it. I believe the messages in nature are very powerful and speak to our spirits. So often our society puts pressure on us to be performing in so many ways to produce the ‘blossom’ so to speak and devalues the growth going on within us that will enable us to create the flowers. As I ponder on this thought about blossoms, I am very encouraged and challenged at the same time.
I see that I have at times devalued the seasons of growth that have been necessary for my life, that don’t look nearly as glamorous as when the blossoms are flowering.
All plants have their seasons where there is growth happening within the plant and there are no blossoms or even buds to be seen. The internal growth seasons which prepare the plant to be strong enough and have the right nutrients and strength to produce the blossoms are usually much longer than the visible flowering seasons.
Of course, it’s when we can see and smell the beautiful blossoms that the plant really catches our attention and the attention of others, that’s when they look really beautiful. The seasons of no buds and no blossoms can seem very boring, easy to ignore and easy to be devalued. Every good gardener never devalues these seasons for their plants, they actually love these seasons because they know the importance of them for the blossoms to be spectacular and to be able to last as long as possible.
It’s the same for any plant that produces healthy fruit or vegetables for our bodies. The preparation time and the growth time is all done with no applause but with planned intentions, patience and full of expectations for the blossoms in the right season. Blossoms are totally dependent on the seasons of growth, the preparation, the water, the feed and the pruning all work together to produce the blossoms.
I would like to bring this metaphor of growth into OUR LIVES. Never devalue your seasons of growth even though they are done out of the limelight. Naturally, the beautiful blossoms attract our attention, they are meant to, they were given to us so we could enjoy their beauty. People will often notice our blossoms in life much more than our quiet growth that creates our blossoms but don’t be disappointed, it’s natural.
The important thing here is for you to know the value of the growth seasons in your life as much as the seasons of blossoming, it doesn’t matter if others value it or not.
Don’t wait for others to value them, the gardener is very aware most people don’t really appreciate all that goes into a beautiful garden full of delicious fruit or beautiful blossoms. It doesn’t stop them from season after season doing all the hard yards behind the scenes to keep that plant growing, feeding it, watering it over and over so those blossoms bloom beautifully. You can also apply these thoughts of nurturing to parenting. The parents of young children and teenagers sometimes tend to that season of their offspring’s lives without seeing many blossoms appearing and if they do, they don’t last on the plant for long. Let me assure you as someone whose children have grown to reach adulthood – this season of preparation is worth every bit of hard work.
As your children grow, you will notice a wonderfully longer season of delicious fruit and blossoms that you have helped create. Watching them blossom into who they were created to be from their twenties and onwards is so magnificent and then what comes next, the journey for them to create their own garden of a precious family is just the best.
Don’t be discouraged, don’t expect the blossoms to come before their season due and value your hard work whether others do or not because when those blossoms come all will see their beauty. The funny thing is, the growing never ends in life, I am still growing and hopefully in the right seasons, blossoming.
One of the ways I am growing is learning to hear the lessons God is teaching through nature like this. I love it, it’s so empowering and freeing. Enjoy the ride.
Blessings, Susanna.
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