Wait A Little Longer

I don’t know who needs to read this. Maybe it’s you.

Anyone who has been to my house knows I have quite the collection of plants (bordering on excessive). What people might not know is that each of those plants has a story. Plants are a wonderful way to document time and gradual growth so I buy a new plant during every big life change. I can walk around my house and see reminders of how much I’ve grown since I lived on my own, since my grandpa died, since grad school, and so on. 

Here’s what I want to tell you about this plant in the picture. It was gifted to me by a very special training group at the end of a two-year training series about three years ago. And it never bloomed again. I kept up with the very pretentious demands of an orchid (3 ice cubes once a week, if you’re curious). I tried everything. I almost threw it away more than a dozen times. It became a reminder of my failure. Everyone can make an orchid bloom! Why can’t I?! Surely something is wrong with me! 

But I stuck with it anyway. And then it happened this spring. Little buds began to form and then the flowers bloomed. And every time I walk by it, it’s a reminder that I’m not a failure, I just had to wait longer than I thought for what I wanted. 

So, that’s just it. Even if life doesn’t look the way you think it should right now and you’re on the verge of giving up, just keep at it. Things don’t always come when and how we want them to. But if we don’t quit, we put in the necessary work, and we wait long enough, they will arrive when the time is right. 

Also, if you need me, I’ll just be at home staring at this beautiful reminder that I’m not a failure, not even close. Sometimes I just need to wait a little longer.