Symbolic

A while back I wrote a post on

New Beginnings

I wrote that post because it was a time for me to change and grow.

I have been connected to that plant for a year now.

It was a gift from some special friends. 

I received it shortly after returning home from my 3 month stay at the

Women's Trauma Recovery Program in Menlo Park California

(they also have a men's program for ptsd)

THIS link may be able to give you a bit more information.

I was given another Orchid last week.

 Last year my plant has been through Hell.

It withered and the flowers died.

I nourished it.

It lost major leaves.

and still more grew.

It was re-potted and given special plant food.

Then the flood happened.

Which (at the time) I thought was a devastating blow to my life.

Believe me, you couldn't believe the hours I cried on the phone with my mom.

The workers used hot fans and cranked the house up to 130 degrees

My poor plant, the one I had worked so hard to nourish was scorched by the heat.

The flowers, my beautiful flowers withered slowly and died, as my plant fought to live.

The plant fought and sent out one small leaf.

Over the last 4 months the last three remaining leafs have slowly yellowed and died.

Leaving one leaf withering and dying.

One last hope.

I debated expending my energy trying desperately to make this thing survive.

 And I chose not to.

That part of me is gone.

I am a different ME now.

So Goodbye my beautiful plant.

Thank you for the things you taught me.

Thank you for the Joy of your Beauty.

Thank you for parallelling my life over the last year.

But your time has come.

I send you off with a blessing of peace and thanks.

And I invite in the Beautiful life that I have become. 

Because this flower is strong. It has great potential.

Already, it has three strong leaves on either side.

The flowers are in bloom, just like my life is blooming. 

I am healing,
and I choose to nourish This life.

This beautiful life, with it's many branches of support, diversity, and potential.

Some of the blossoms are in full bloom, and others are tiny buds waiting to open and praise God with their Beauty.

I Choose to heal

I choose to be happy

And so I am!

Isn't the power of God amazing?

Look where I have come in a year!

I will still have my mountains,

but I made that choice, and am grateful for the things I have learned.

and now...

I am learning to nourish the good life,

not the part of me that was withering away and dying.

I am ready to know the Joy that comes from passing through extreme sorrow.

I want my light to shine!