I think that it is fair to say, that we all, have things in our lives that don't look exactly the way we wish for them to. We don't have the community we wished we had, we're unhealthier than we'd like to be, our marriage isn't as close as we hoped it'd be... something in our life is just not up to par with where we believe it should be.
I was on a walk with Hudson earlier this week, and I found myself taking inventory of my life; how it was going, where I was headed and what I would like to see changed. And as I did, I found myself in awe of the flowers planted before me. Not to have a whole Hallmark movie moment or anything, but when I saw those flowers, I was reminded that the only thing I know about gardening is, that whatever you want to grow or to bloom, is to plant that particular seed. The kind of seed you plant, dictates what kind of plant is going to grow.
You wouldn't plant a vegetable seed and hope to find an apple tree staring back at you. Obviously, that would never happen- if you plant a cucumber seed, you get cucumbers. That's just how it works- simply put. But this specific principle speaks more life than just when actually digging in the dirt, the seeds we plant in our lives turn into something, and if we want something to exist in our lives, those are the specific seeds we have to plant.
There’s a direct correlation, but if you’re anything like me, you don’t always think about it that way. When we first moved to Orange Park, where the only people we knew were each other and my parents, I struggled with feeling alone. Don't get me wrong, I am blessed to have an amazing set of parents and a husband who is my very best friend and the person I wish to spend all my time with, BUT, a great husband and family, doesn't replace the need for a great set of friends. I found myself wishing more than anything to have some friends in this strange new city. But for the longest time, I never did anything about it, to change it. I had met a couple people from Facebook out and about, for playdates, but I felt so awkward and nervous about it. Instead of immediately joining a mommy and me play group or even a church group, I dragged my feet and stayed within the confines of our home. While I was desperately wanting my lack of friends within my city to change, the seeds I was sowing weren't going to grow friendship anytime soon.
Eventually, I found myself in a reality check. I was done sulking and playing victim and I realized that if I kept going down the path I was currently on, in a year, six-months, a month, nothing would change. If I didn't start reaching out, and purposefully planting some friendship seeds, friendship wasn't just going to grow. So, I took a deep breath, and even though I was afraid and intimidated, I started planting seeds. I joined Mom-Tinder and started saying yes to invitations to outings with other moms in my area. I made a goal of meeting a new friend once a week, even if just via messenger, and although it was uncomfortable, the community I was urning for started to grow! And today, as Hudson and I were enjoying a nice, steamy stroll, I was marveling at the fact that over the past 3 years, those seeds have grown into really, beautiful, lifechanging, friendships. I have people in this city that really know me and love me. I have friends who have become family and are a huge part of my boys' life, and for that, I am eternally grateful. And it is all because I started planting, and watering, and tending, and investing in, what I wanted to see grow. And to my surprise, it was not just friendships that have grown, this correlation is true in so many areas of my life!!
If we take the time, to be honest with ourselves, about where we wish to see for ourselves a year from now, and each day, take a small step in that direction, our goals and dreams, and the lives we want to live, will become our reality!We will all reap what we sow, and that's what I was thinking about this morning, as I was doing my life inventory. I was looking at what I had in my life and noticed how those seeds that I had started planting years ago, really had grown into beautiful things!
When you take the time to look at your life, from a deeper perspective, I think we can all see that we are really living the life that we always wanted to live, and a lot of it is because we have been sowing seeds, on purpose, to get us there! And while it is easy to plant seeds, see them grow and prosper, and then move on, it is important that we continue to tend to those seeds. To continue to grow more and invest more time in those things. To take inventory in how we spend our time and our money, who we invest or time and energy in, and how we take care of our bodies and mind. And that's the conversation I want to invite you into- what seeds are you planting today and what are they going to look like a year from now?? Are there seeds you're planting that are going to grow into things you don't want in your life?? What do you want to be true about your life, in a year from now and what seeds do you need to be planting in order to make that happen?
When we make small, intentional changes, they all add up to a whole, wonderful life, down the road!! And hey, you can't grow a forest overnight. We are talking about planting some seeds, and tending to them for the days, months, years, to come! One step at a time, in the right direction, will lead you exactly where you want to go!
As the wise, Joe Dirt once said, "Life's a garden: dig it"
XO, Kelleen
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