Planted

My little love bounded into the living room this morning full of excitement. She had written a short piece and wanted to share it with me before her online classes began. I have witnessed this budding writer grow in confidence and clarity and I have always treasured the thoughts that she commits to writing.

She sat across the room from me and readied herself for reading. “While I’m reading,” she said, “I want you to count how many adjectives I’ve used.”

She began to read. As she spoke, her words fell onto listening ears and enveloped an attentive heart.

The story was filled with much more than just adjectives.

My love spoke of a girl in a garden, enjoying the summer breeze; perfectly content to be at peace in simplicity. She read, “Even though she did not have much she can still enjoy life and the joy it brings.”  In this story, the rains come, but they do not affect the joy that is planted deep within the heart of our protagonist, for she knows that with the rain comes growth. And, because of the rain, she sees her plants “bigger and prettier than before”. These words, penned by little hands, were filled with big wisdom. The piece, aptly titled ‘Planted’, touched me in an unexpected way.

I could picture myself in a garden, lush and green with abundant blossoms.  I pictured myself tending to the plants and reaping the fruit of my labour. Feeding my family from my efforts. Basking in the sunlight and the gentle breeze, completely at peace. But then the storm clouds come. The rains descend. The sky darkens.

I feel as though so many of us are caught in that storm. Without warning, we are no longer able to enjoy the gardens that we have worked so hard to maintain. Torrential downpours have ushered us to a place where we can neither sow nor reap. The harvest that we had hoped for seems delayed without end.

I thought of the last few months and of the countless changes that they have brought to many. Changes in our routines. Changes in our family lives. Changes in our ability to provide for our loved ones.           

In the story, despite the rain, the little girl remained joyful. It appears that she did not focus on the skies. Instead, she focused on growth. She knew that the rains wouldn’t last and that they would nourish her plants. She focused on the joy to be found in the little things in life. She focused on what she had and was truly content.

I know that, just like in the story, the storm won’t last forever. Eventually the clouds will subside. The rains will dissipate. The sun will shine again.

And so, until then, just as my love wrote, we can purpose to choose joy despite the rain. Because we know that with the rain comes growth.  

Rain brings blossoms.
Rain brings sustenance.
Rain brings the harvest.

Perhaps in this season of rain we ought to plant the seeds that we wish to take root in our lives. Seeds of faith. Seeds of hope. Seeds of contentment. Seeds of compassion.

Perhaps the longer it rains, the deeper these roots will grow.

Perhaps these very seeds grow best in storms such as this.

My little love’s story has planted something deep within my heart, and as the storm rages I trust that it will take root and grow.

I need only choose joy while I wait for the storm to pass.