Keep Watering the Plants

When you are hit with a moment of shock or a moment of why, you slowly start to realize that the moment becomes a full blown situation. That situation needs your attention. That situation wakes with you and sleeps with you. It can be the loss of a loved one, an illness, the loss of a job, the loss of a home, a friend or even just a child that seems to be going off the rails. SO we have to decide to put all of our time and attention into this situation in order to fix it. Right?

That is actually wrong. I have had to learn that even though I am sick, life still is going on around me. My children are growing, my husband is working, my bills need to be paid, my house needs to be tended to. Life does not even do you the courtesy of slowing down when you need it too. So we learn to start juggling the things that need our attention and we start to figure out how to stay afloat. I have found myself sinking so many times. I have looked around and realized that I had a hand full of  bills and some pots and pans, some family pictures and some books in one arm, The other arm is full of my family and my ability to function on some level of normal. Then I look up and see that even though I grabbed what I thought was all I needed. I neglected to water all the beautiful plants in my life. I'm sinking and I am watching my plants die at the she same time.

We are multitaskers. Some of us are better at it than others. But we all find a way to get more than one thing done each day. It just seems like when life throws us into a storm, we become unable to function let alone multitask. The truth of the matter is we need time to deal with bad news and hurt and loss. Unfortunately, we can not stay in that place. So we look around and decide to pay attention to the things that DEMAND our attention. We feel like everything else will care for  its self.. Those house plants won't. Those plants that make you smile everyday when you water them or sing to them or smell hem as you walk around the house. Those plants have become less important in our moment of crisis. But they really are important.

The truth is those plants are probably the only thing in our lives that are moving as slow as we are. Those plants regardless to what kind they are, need our attention. They need to be watered. And we need to realize that even though we just received bad news or a diagnosis we aren't even understanding just yet, or a life changing event.those plants still need us. Many will say, well the plants are not more important than the kids or the spouse. I will respond and say no those plants can not compare to how important our loved ones are. However those house plants remind us that we can slow down and we can take care of something WE CHOSE, just long enough to remember why our current battle is so important.

I am using plants but it can be anything simple in your life, It can be a hobby or a volunteer position. Something that you do because you WANT TO not because you HAVE TO. The things we have to love and care for and protect and feed remind us of responsibility and what could happen if we are no longer able to take care of them Our hobbies are things that we enjoy but if the day ever came that we couldn't knit, play cards, grow plants, or play tennis, we wouldn't be destroyed or overly disappointed. So I encourage you to go ahead and do the small little things that give you pleasure even in the midst of a storm. Take a few moments to do something that  you WANT TO do not what  you HAVE TO DO. Those things help you to realize that you're situation may turn your life upside down but it won't destroy you.

Go ahead and water those plants. It will take just a few moments. Remind yourself of the smaller things that you may have to give up. Do not immediately decide to sink with everything that really matters to you. The truth is if we GIVE OURSELVES away to everything and everyone around us and we give up the hobbies or the extras that we enjoy, we are really hurting ourselves. Do not become so consumed with the CIRCUMSTANCE that you forget the smallest of things that make you smile. The things that make you happy or make you feel your own kind of importance. Our families and our friends want to help and want to do as much as possible. That is wonderful. But those plants just want some water and to hear your voice once a day. They keep growing and you keep going. Never any pressure or guilt or blame.

I just encourage you to keep watering those plants. No matter what the news is, No matter what the loss is. No matter what the change is. Those plants serve purpose to remind us that everything does not have to be broken and changed because life is really happening at the moment. And if you know someone that is dealing with the DOWN side of life. I would suggest you buy them a small houseplant. Encourage them to care for it as often as possible. Explain to them that it is not a big responsibility but it is an opportunity to do something just because they WANT TO.

Blessings