Bloom Where You're Planted

For years, my wife has a small plaque next to our kitchen sink that says simply “Bloom Where You’re Planted.” I think (I’m not sure) the phrase came from one of her favorite authors, Barbara Johnson. I’ve thought of a slight variation “Bloom and Be Fruitful Where You’re Planted”. As we practical Pennsylvania Dutch (Deutch) would say, “Blossoms are just for pretty.” Earlier this week I was in Colorado, a beautiful but often inhospitable desert-like dry climate. Many varieties of plants and most trees can’t survive in the baked soil. I was struck by the beauty of a small variety of what I assume is a native strain of sunflowers. Because few other blossoming plants survive under the harsh arid conditions, they have no competition and every eye is drawn to their “plain Jane” simple brown and yellow blossoms. There were no “more elegant varieties” to divert my attention and the adaptability and beauty of this prolific variety struck me. I bet there is a special strong root system to capture the elusive moisture as well. I am sure numerous birds and mammals survive the harsh winter squalls sweeping westward from the plains largely because of the easily accessible seeds. When I returned home, an article in our local newspaper about human “sludge” for fertilizing local farmland caught my eye. It took me back to when I was a young boy in north central Pennsylvania. My hometown built a new sewage treatment facility instead of discharging human waste straight into the Susquehanna River. The solid waste went into a greenhouse-like facility to dry and eventually to be removed as “sludge.” I will never forget seeing the biggest most luscious red tomatoes growing behind those glass walls. (Tomato seeds aren’t very digestible.) Although the example may be “a stretch,” I have never forgotten what can be produced from “waste” in such an environment. If those plants were humans with free will, I am sure most if not all of those tomato plants would choose to be anywhere else but in such a facility and environment. Imagine what that could do to their self esteem especially if they had to justify it to their friends. I frequently discover that some of the most beautiful, most fruitful folks are products of environments and circumstances few would choose. Even though I wasn’t born into it, I am now part of a generation where “making our own choices” is perhaps our most valued “right.” It’s one we are encouraged to exercise from an early age in this era of increasing personal individual choices. I am “going against the flow” and trying to suppress my free will instincts and it is a difficult battle. Seldom have I been planted when and where I thought appropriate. So often I am reluctant to put down roots unless it’s in the ideal, clean, sanitized soil that is “befitting” me and my potential. I am reluctant to “dig in” and accept any circumstances less than ideal. Truthfully, I’ll spend endless hours trying to put myself into a better and more hospitable arena instead of rooting where I am. It’s dangerous because I can’t bloom or, in fact, even survive without being rooted. Perhaps, if I live long enough, my childhood dream of schools without discipline, homework, and tests will become a reality. Guess, instead of my “pipedreams” and plotting to navigate away from any adversity to Utopia, I need to refocus on my calling. I want to not only bloom in a wide variety of circumstances and environments, but I want to be open to go anywhere I’m called and be fruitful for those who need me.