Life will find a way
I forgot to add water to my houseplants before i went to a workshop recently. The inevitable had happened when i returned a week later: They were mighty thirsty! Most of my plants have been tested and are drought resistant (they have survived my treatment…). I had two new plants, though: Basil and oregano. The basil was big enough and recovered quickly with enough water. The oregano was in a little pot and completely dried out. I thought i’d give it a little water and see if it would recover. It didn’t. So, i left it to dry out. Or so i thought. I am still getting used to having access to fresh herbs when i am cooking, so i don’t use them all that frequently. Thus, i didn’t noticed what was happening among the drying oregano: A new branch was sprouting! At first, i thought it was something else but once i cut off all the dried up oregano, it was clear that the little one was a new branch! I was excited not only because the herb wasn’t dead after all but also because it symbolized what is going on in my life. During the workshop, i had started to reconnect with my inner child. I was starting to cut away the dried up branches of cultural conditioning, adding water and sunlight – nurturing the little plant of the new integrated me. Watching the oregano reminds me of how important nurturance is, yet, that we can also trust that life will find a way. The life force moves us toward integration – it flows stronger when we support it but it flows even when it is covered up by dead branches.
Here are a couple pictures of the sprout (click on the small images to see a larger version):
Thanks for sharing your personal journey to living an integrated life and showing through your oregano how it is happening whether or not we are aware of it (or present to it). I was especially touched as I read it since I had an insight during my quiet time this morning about how surrounded I am by the nurturing energy of life through the love & compassion I feel for myself as well the loving family & friends in my life who generously express their love & affection for me in so many ways. Have a marvelous day! With gratitude, DM