Shine!
Earlier this summer, I was going through a spate of transition. While scary and tenuous, it was a good time for me. I got to re-engage with myself and read some really good books. It was a launch phase into a new realm of life.
One day while on the patio (I spent a lot of time on the patio), I noticed something a bit odd as the Black-Eyed Susans began their annual push skyward. One of the plants had decided to not spring up with the masses but instead, find a place up front and center near the retaining wall.
Now, I could have been a conscientious gardener (although gardener I am not) and gingerly moved the little sprout back to the larger Black-Eyed Susan patch, but I decided not to. Instead, I opted to watch this plant grow and see what happened.
I also decided to name this plant Black-Eyed Stephanie.
As summer warmed the soil, Stephanie took off and rocked her place in the garden. Her. Place. She also taught me a little lesson and one that I’m reaching back to on a cold, albeit bright, winter’s day.
You don’t have to grow where you are planted. You don’t have to grow as someone outside of you has prescribed. You can — and should — take a chance and plant your beautiful self where you want to. Then grow and shine — arms wide to the sun — with everything you are and everything you own.
Don’t be afraid to be like Stephanie. Don’t think that if you went left instead of right that someone will immediately course correct you and put in in a sea of sameness. Contrarily, someone may actually take note of what you are doing and nurture the will to be different and the need to stretch.
For those who helped me be like Stephanie this summer, thank you. ~Jacqui
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