Growth is Beautiful

Last year we planted 2 shrubs on either side of our backyard porch, two of these being Texas Sage. Over a month ago we were outside and realized how overgrown they had became. One was so wide that it was now covering half of our sidewalk. So, off we went to buy pruning shears. We spent a couple of hours cutting it back, pulling any dead pieces out, and just generally loving on it. This was about the time that the weather here in Texas was warm enough for the year that we started letting the kids play outside everyday, so we began watching the shrub in the evenings. Pulling any leaves that blew around its base to keep it clean and watering it with care.

We've had several thunderstorms roll through and drop decent rain lately. Each time I hear the rain I think how good it is for our yard and shrubs. Last night as Andy was on the grill I stopped and looked at just how beautiful all of our shrubs are with their blooms. The same Texas Sage that was an overgrown mess 6 weeks ago, is now trimmed up with new growth all over it, and the gorgeous purple blooms are just starting to pop out all over it!

At this point you might just think I'm really into gardening (I'm not at all, by the way) or that I have some odd obsession with things being clean and well kept (that part is pretty accurate, but that's not where I'm going with this). As I saw the blooms starting on the shrub, it made me ponder why we give ourselves and others such a hard time for going through rough patches. Here I am looking at a gorgeous blooming Texas Sage that could have easily been pushed to the wayside a few weeks back. But instead, it was nurtured and pruned to become this beautiful plant. Why can't we use that same example as humans? Don't we all have periods of pruning and dormancy that we have to go through to find our own blooms?

For some people, these stages last longer than for others. For some they may require more or less work than others. But it's the same concept through and through. In order to grow and bloom to your full potential, you have to prune, water, and love. If you're like me, it's hard to see the full potential of what could be when you're looking at a mess. I believe we often get caught up in our stages of pruning and forget that we're really preparing ourselves to bloom beautifully. The issue lies when we find ourselves in a period of dormancy and we're not providing the work necessary to better ourselves. During this time we have no hope of blooming until we choose to put in the work to make ourselves better.

All in all, don't forget that life comes in stages. No matter what stage you are in, you can begin working on yourself. Mentally, physically, spiritually bettering what and who you are. Prune yourself for what you know is ahead. And as you prepare to bloom, just know that once you are where you want to be, the work is not over. If I quit watering and maintaining our Texas Sage today, it would be a  mess very quickly. Same goes for us, work on yourselves everyday and you will see the rewards. Don't let an occasional rain storm or dry patch slow down your growth. Growth, and all that goes along with it, is beautiful and all part of your journey!