Bloom where you are planted

Yesterday I did a fair amount of driving. I was alone and the radio stations didn't seem to have a handle on my genre. Some of the thoughts really aren't worth reporting. Like when I was coming off the exit ramp and a guy, who was weaving in traffic and not paying enough attention, went into the spot that I was already sliding into. Well, the upside was that he was speeding so he was out of the spot quickly and I went ahead and got moved over before we got to the end of the lane There was that unfortunate bit of time though where we were hovering only about five feet from each other and we could see each other's faces quite clearly. I've got a feeling that he could read lips, and I have to say, I am embarrassed at how easily that phrase flowed from said lips. Must be a very effective phrase.

Anyway, the thought that stuck with me... the thought that gave me an "aha" moment was, "bloom where you are planted". Whatever moron thought that one up has a lot of misery to answer for. We are creatures of free will, most of us have a couple of legs attached. Why would anyone think we're supposed to be stuck in one place just to learn our lesson or to develop a deeper spiritual life or to elicit a talent. The answer is movement! Get rid of the effluent in your life! Stop being bogged down and move until you can breathe again. Staying in one place, or overwhelming situation, usually makes a person feel trapped, claustrophobic and bitter. I think it is pretty lousy of the inspirational plaque company to expect you to have all of those feelings and then to feel some obligation to "bloom".

I should start my own inspirational plaque company. I'll base the first one on the seed parable to counteract the evil "bloom where you are planted" You know the one... some seed fell on fertile soil, some fell on a rocky patch and got eaten by a crow. Okay, okay, I know that is taking a pretty free hand with paraphrasing, but I got to fit this on a plaque. I kind of like just putting "you're gonna get eaten by a crow" but that probably wouldn't make sense on it's own, would it?

Only when I began chasing my dream, was I in a position to meet other people, learn new things, share influence, enrich and be enriched. How horrible this rough patch of ours would have been if we hadn't stayed busy chasing the dream. As bad as it was, I don't want to think how much worse it could have been. Instead, I can say, despite the disease, we have a new home, land, horses, woods and gardens and we have gotten to experience more weddings, two grandbabies, new friends and more years. Thank God we didn't try to bloom where we were planted. You know, you can't stand still when you're chasing a dream. Now THAT would work on a plaque!!

louie