Last year, I was gifted with a lily plant. I was so excited that I placed it by the window that receives the most sunlight and watered it every two days. The plant began to bend over and wilt within a week, so I moved it outside to what I believed was a shady spot.
It flowered a bit, the stems remained green, but the plant refused to stay upright; it was as though it was turning into a creeping plant, growing downwards.
I got so worried, I thought the plant was trying to reach towards the sunlight, so I shifted the pot slightly towards the sun. Then I read that lilies are ‘petty’ and cannot withstand direct sunlight.
I fed it water and anxiety until it eventually got dug up and destroyed by my dogs. What I was unaware of was that, though the shoot had been dug up, I could simply ‘re-pot’ the root bulb and it would bud again in a few months.
I had thrown away what was left of the plant, thinking it was no longer useful.
Many opportunities we think we have missed, relationship bridges we think we have burned, and talents we think do not stand a chance in this brutal and fast-paced world simply needed to be replanted, nourished and given room to grow and flourish.
Last chances only exist for the dead. We have a chance to try again, even if it’s on a different path or using a different approach.
My favourite word in parenting is ‘repair’; meaning that you can make a mistake, cross your boundaries or lose your temper, but you can circle back to ‘repair’ the relationship by apologising sincerely and taking responsibility for what you did wrong.
There are some opportunities and relationships you cannot – or should not- go back to, but you can take the lessons, memories and mistakes and turn them into experiential gold for the next opportunity or relationship.
Don’t be too quick to quit, close shop, ‘cancel’ or run away. Develop grit, resilience and thinking outside the box to reuse what may seem worthless to the ignorant mind.
This does not apply to all situations and scenarios, yes, that tissue paper roll and egg carton need to be thrown away or recycled, who knows? Simply discern first before you cast away.
What ‘lily bulb’ is hidden in your finances, friendships, marriage, or even your thoughts? Dig them up, dust them and plant them in a better ‘garden’ with the sunlight of knowledge positivity, and possibilities.
Have you got any ‘trash to triumph’, ‘wrong turn to opportunity’, ‘revamped and reloaded’ stories? I would love to hear from you in the comments!
