breaking soil...
Once upon a time,
there was a flower bulb that sat in a pot of dirt--cold and dark.
This pot was placed on the back porch for the winter; supposedly,
this is to support the hibernation phase, but I think it has more
to do with neglect and making excuses that because it probably won't
bloom anyway who cares where it sleeps in the winter.
Seasons passed and
the bulb stayed buried in the pot on the porch, until one day it found
that it hurt so much that it could not stand living like this any
longer. It pushed against its outer shell, struggling to shimmy out
of this covering. Because the layers of dirt were so deep and compact,
it was hard to notice any changes or advancements toward freedom.
It thought it might die under all the pressure--the layers that kept
it snug and safe for so long and yet, so confined that suffication
was inevitable.
One day, the flower
bulb prayed for help and it found that this was the only way to grow.
It listened to its inner voice that said be calm, wait for the dirt
to shift, move this way, wait for the dirt to shift, move that way,
until finally one day the shell broke and the inner seed experienced
its first taste of freedom. Only to realize that it was impossible
to know which way was up.
Again the voice
said follow your intuition; you can feel the pull of gravity and that
will show you the way to grow. The seedling started to grow longer
and taller and push up toward the sky. And one day it broke soil.
Now the seedling
drinks of the sun and morning dew, bends in the wind because it can
not think it could control it, and accepts that it is no longer a
seed, but a beautiful sprout that was once trapped by the confines
of neglect and fear.
This sprout knows
what it feels like to struggle and wait for death, and now it knows
that it has a greater purpose--to grow as tall and beautiful as is
possible, to gently sway in the breeze, to spread joy and smiles to
those who pass by and admire its beauty and strength, and to know
that pain is part of the process, and no good thing can grow without
it.
Look around and
notice all of the flowers that have escaped from the garden today.
Smile back because you know how hard they struggled to express their
truth and accept that you can express yours, too.
Now,
tell me what you think.
coach@alifeulove.com
Check
out these past thoughts:
September 2001 January
2002 May
2002 July
2003
October 2001 February
2002 June
2002
November 2001 March
2002 February
2003
December 2001 April
2002 March
2003
