How wonderful it is when you can choose to be in a season of growth (and, after all, isn’t all of life a season of growth?). It is a luxury, even more so when you are able to dedicate time and effort without guilt. You can give yourself permission to be messy and imperfect (or just throw any thought of perfect out the window!) while you grow and expand. Free to take chances, step off the well-worn path and explore new territory.
I have a tendency to spend way too much time thinking/planning/designing “things”. It has to do with that “P” word. I tend to gravitate toward personal growth and development books/audiobooks for their positive content. While that is a great practice, I then want to get the concept down “perfectly”. That requires planning, obsessing, researching, and the circle goes round and round. To the point that I never take the time to actually DO the thing. Someone once asked me, when I mentioned wanting to do something, “when is NOW the right time to start?”. NOW!!! The answer is NOW! It is so easy to hide behind the need for planning, control, and the desire for a perfect outcome; or perhaps the fear of succeeding, that you could put it off forever.
We were walking tonight, and I was enjoying the beauty of these roses. I had a “lightbulb” moment! Instead of thinking about my life as a single bloom, I will see my life as the whole plant. Instead of one bloom that will fade away, I can see places where I have beautiful buds that haven’t opened, some that are just beginning to open, some in full bloom, and a few fading away. I expect they are seasons of being dormant that WILL be followed by wild explosions of new growth, buds, and glorious blooms.
Best of all, I know that I am my own master gardener. I am responsible for pruning away the old growth to make way for new, carefully treating any pests that might try to invade or hamper growth. I will not measure my growth or beauty by comparing myself to anyone else, nor will I try to be something or someone I am not to gain approval. I am blessed to have a group of trusted friends that help me stay on track.
This is a lesson that will always be a work in progress for me. That’s okay. There will always be multiple areas within me that are works in progress. That’s great! It’s wonderful to have options. Take my knitting, for example. I *could* choose to start one project and only work on one at a time. When I did that, I found that it was difficult for me to complete the project. More recently, I have and keep several projects on my needles. They range in difficulty/complexity, and for good reason. Sometimes, I just need a mindless knit that is quick and portable. Sometimes, I need one that requires all my concentration. Bonus – I finish more projects this way.
My Grace Lesson – NOW – choose now to grow your life the way you want it. Put down the books and the expectations. Get dirty, get messy, laugh, grow, prune, explode into full bloom – all while you let new buds form, old blooms fade, and be full of joy. You will laugh and cry, giggle and scream in frustration, but get out and live your life. (Of course, wear your mask, socially distance, and get your vaccine!-Pandemic living, and all.) No one is more knowledgeable about your life than you, find your crew for support but make sure you are the one in control!
Lert's Lessons in Grace 