Every year I’m in awe of my Begonias. I plant them in the early spring, haphazardly in a hurry, adding a few in my large pot placed strategically on the remnants of the tree trunk in my front yard. I began this ritual shortly after we had to cut down the only tree we had. The stump looked bare and deserted, so I decided that a big pot on top would masquerade the permanent tomb that is stuck in our landscape.
I am not a gardener. In fact, quite the opposite really. I’m all for embracing the beauty of vibrant rich flower beds and glorious vegetable gardens- I’m just not up for all that work to tend to it.
So I plant a few pots and call it a day.
Begonias are the only flower I haven’t killed. I’ve tempted fate with many and watched their life wither right before my eyes.
Just this past Mother’s Day, I was gifted with a beautiful bountiful pot filled with a carefully picked assortment of flowers, made lovingly by my children with their grandma’s help. There was this eerie tension in the air, as my breath tightened at the thought of killing off such an exquisite masterpiece. It’s been slowly dying ever since, no matter how much I try to nourish it along…
So, back to the Begonias.
They thrive on that tree trunk, no matter how many days I forget to water them. The few tiny babies I scarcely plant somehow become a wild raging overgrowth of bloom.
It’s beautiful.
As I was gazing at the glorious bounty late one afternoon, it finally dawned on me just why it grows so easily and what seemed to me, miraculously.
It’s all about the placement.
I know, I know. It’s not an original thought. But apparently there is a fine balance in that spot of shade and sun that promises its potential.
And this got me thinking about my own life, and where I’ve been placed. How many times I was planted in the wrong location, wilting beneath the not just right circumstances. I think about all the areas I felt stifled, stuck and rotting, due to the unforgiving climate I was in.
I wonder how many times I realized it was all about the placement and not about my inability to grow. That, had I been in a different environment, my roots may have taken hold of the soil and soared to greater heights.
I believe I blamed myself. Many times.
I didn’t have the wisdom to discern my surroundings and assess such influential conditions. And as I look back at all the jobs, educational pursuits, church groups, friendship circles, and many other various avenues in which I roamed- unable to truly flourish…
I realize it was all about the placement.
I’m thriving now, as my soil is softened with the perfect balance of sun and shade, ripe with passion and purpose. There have been quite a few other lovely spots I have been able to blossom in throughout my life as well.
When I think of my children navigating through the continuum of discovering who they are and defining what constitutes fertile ground, I want them to understand that sometimes- no often times, it’s not about them but about the placement. Sure, they must be responsible and do their best in any circumstance, but when they are faced with failure or discouraged with difficulty, I want them to take a long look at where they are planted to see if it’s truly a good fit and why. I’ll teach them how to assess those varying conditions and explore their own unique needs.
They have already found some well-suited areas in their life, but struggle in others. And as time unfolds into new seasons offering more opportunities for them to dig their heels into new soil, where they seek to define their passion and potential, I will remind them about this truth when they feel they failed.
Sometimes, It’s not about our inability to grow or thrive or bloom at all…
Many times, it’s simply all about the placement.
Great writing Chrissy its good to be in the right place with you and the kids
In all my life, YOU have been THE best place I’ve been planted. I am who I am now, because of YOU, my love. Because of you.
Clicking over from the Christian Women Bloggers Unite to give you a great big THANK YOU for your contributions and leadership! Appreciate you. I also really enjoyed your thoughts on placement.
OH gosh, what a beautiful blessing your comment is to me, Amy!! Thank you so much for coming by and making my day. 🙂
I love your comparison here and just couldn’t agree more that it is indeed all about the placement for so much in our lies. So beautifully and perfectly said, Chris!! 😉
Thank you so much, Janine!! XOXO
This is a great message with truth at its heart. We must always do our best, but sometimes it is definitely about the placement. You have given me a lesson to share with my children. Thank you!
Thank you so much, Hillary. I’m glad you can share this with your kids too… 🙂
Love this! Its so true how sometimes we’re just not where in a place where we will thrive — or with people or jobs that bring out our best selves…the sooner the better to move on! (I also need to get Begonias!)
You know, I wish I had this insight when I was younger… I wish I had the courage too, to change places. I’m glad I have both now.
Thank you so much for coming by to read this, Kathy!
You’re right – about the placement, the confusion, the shade:light ratio which changes according to the time of day and sometimes seems like it should work but doesnt, the type of soil, the frequency of watering…there are so many good garden analogies (including the one which describes how we all began) and honestly, I just wish that I had ears to hear them…
I love you, Kitty, and I’m glad you’ve found your right place.
And I’m glad I didn’t die.
Your ears are opening, and you are tending to your place now- my love. It may change and transition more and you will grow, thrive, and soar… I just know you will.
Such words of wisdom here, Chris! I was “misplaced” most of my life :). It really is all about the placement. I’m finally thriving today and I agree with every word here, my friend. I’m also with you on the gardening. I love looking at flowers but despise the maintenance so I keep them at a minimum. Every summer I tell my son this will be the year my flowers live until Fall. This has yet to happen. This year I waited until the end of July to put them out because of travel. I think this may finally be my summer :).
Ha!! Great strategy with your flowers, Candace!! This may definitely be the year!! 🙂
I’m so glad you found your place now… What a glorious thing it is, to see you thriving and bearing so much fruit, my friend!! XOXO
Hi Chris! I truly agree with you here. I wrote a post a long time ago about ‘Bloom where you’re planted’ and honestly, sometimes you’re just not planted in the right place. You have to find that sweet spot, and then watch out! The blooming will be overpowering, shaken down and overflowing. Like you’re doing now…
Bless your plants and wisdom and being in the best place you can be,
Ceil
Thank you so much Ceil, for your beautiful and wise words. You are such a gift to me. I hope you know that! 🙂 XOXO
This is such a profound insight, Chris, and very liberating. Sometimes we need to look around and ask if we’ve put ourselves in a situation or around people who bring out our best and allow us to thrive. We should always keep fighting to grow wherever we are, but it really helps if we plant ourselves in healthy soil!
Exactly, Elizabeth!! There are definitely times we have no choice, but to bloom under ‘not so great’ conditions…
But the older I get, the more I realize I have choices. I may disappoint people, let others down, but with awareness and bold steps to find that ideal place to grow- it can be quite productive and incredibly nourishing. 🙂
Chris, I just love this analogy and it’s such perfect timing for me right now. Actually, it’s perfect timing for my son, who is about to attend his 3rd high school. The first 2 didn’t work out and so now he’s going away to boarding school (his decision). He’s worried that he might “fail” again, but I keep telling him the other 2 schools were not the right fit for him, that he was in the wrong environment. I’m going to tell him about your begonias. 🙂
OH Emily!! I will be hoping and praying your son is able to find the right placement in this new school!! This message seems like the perfect fit for him, especially right now. Sometimes, life just doesn’t give us the right conditions in the places we try- and we really need to keep searching for the best fit. He will find his!! I’m so glad he has such a wonderful supportive mom to help him do just that. <3
So much wisdom here, Chris. Often we can control the placement, but sometimes we can’t…and that’s a hard lesson to teach our kids.
I can’t grow any flowers…maybe I’m planting them in the wrong place!
Ha! I bet you are planting them in the wrong place, Dana! (Go with that…)
We can be stuck in some places and that is a hard truth our kiddos need to understand… it’s SO important to learn how to cope with such circumstances. A tough life lesson indeed. I think it’s a significant insight for them to also have that awareness of realizing what conditions make them tick? Thrive? And as they get older, they can learn to discern and make decisions according to their needs as best they can- so they can truly grow to their potential. (ie: Colleges, careers, jobs, friends etc.)
Aww! Derek’s comment. How heartwarming.
This is so wise and amazing. It really is all about the placement sometimes. I’m not very good at growing flowers, but I bet I could switch it up a bit and learn. And that goes with most things.
I LOVE that you can figure out a way to learn… about most things. Oh T, such a great way to live life! I need to open my limited perspective and take on yours. 🙂
sometimes it’s also about accepting where God has placed us 😀
Absolutely Andi! There’s a lot of that going on in all our lives… And sometimes, we need to trust that God has placed us there for a purpose.
I think often though, there are opportunities where we have choices: Friends, churches, schools, jobs…
And if we are more aware of which conditions, variables, circumstances we are most nourished in and can grow in- we will be more apt at making fruitful decisions for our own health and happiness.
Oh my goodness I love this. Genius. The images are beautiful. I am always amazed and inspired by your wisdom and insight. And, the begonias ate gorgeous!
Allie, you make me feel sooooo good!! I’m SO blessed by your response, my friend!! Thank you- so so much. 🙂
This is so true and I can totally relate. As I come to terms with growing older I am coming to understand it really is a matter of placement. Great post!!
Nicole, I think that is what has happened with me! Maybe as we get older, we are better able to discern what is ‘healthy’ for us and what is not- and we can make those choices according to our needs! It’s profound really- when I look back and see exactly what places caused me to wilt. I’m so glad we can embrace this insight as we age. 🙂
Like this. It is hard sometimes to find our place in this world. That place where we will bloom and thrive, but when we do, what joy.
It can be very difficult, Mary. I think for some more than others… but I also believe that God will use every place we are in- for His Purpose and being able to manage our lives in some ‘not so good’ places- can ultimately equip us for future places we are planted. 🙂
{{{I’m thriving now, as my soil is softened with the perfect balance of sun and shade, ripe with passion and purpose.}}}
darling, Chris,
what a relevant, insightful, poetic piece.
LOVE & appreciate U from MN. xx
Kim, do you know how powerful your words are, my friend? Every comment you write over here- sends a beautifully powerful bolt to my heart.
I’m just so grateful for you…
You bless me so.
What a beautiful metaphor for your life, Christine. This is a wonderful post!
Thank you so much Marcia!! I really appreciate you coming by to read it. 🙂
Oh Chris Oh Chris… it so so is. I’ve been floundering with my own placement so much recently SO MUCH so much and reading this is like balm and ointment (and Oinkment per Tucker’s last joke). Thank you! Love this!
I am just SO glad you read this, and it resonated with you Kristi!! Oh, how I love that. *BestFeelingEver* It seems it may be time to change your placement, my friend. You deserve to bloom and thrive and grow…
Love this! I’ve missed your posts too! 🙂 So true. I have a pot of begonias in my yard that have miraculously survived as well. No thanks to me, really. I love plants that are hard to kill. lol.
I also love how something as simple as a pot in your yard makes you reflect and make connections this way. That’s the beauty of being a writer. It makes us reflect more than the average person.
Great post!
Thank you,Chrissy…you help me realize I am okay with my ‘placement’ right now and waiting for God to direct me elsewhere! I love you, Chrissy, and I think you write so beautifully????!
Your placement for now, mom! 🙂 In perfect time… Change will come. THANK YOU for reading and your encouragement. 🙂
Awesome analogy and wisdom! Made me think of my ferns on the porch. They always flourish in their great placement, but this year Ryan added a watering system. They get so much regular watering that they are literally growing out of control. Hmmmm……interesting to think about how much more abundance and growth can be experienced when we ‘water’ ourselves in that good placement. Makes me think of saturating ourselves with the Word and all things fruitful in His name. That combined with placement and there is quite obviously nothing that can’t be done. Powerful. P. S. You rock! ❤️
YES… Oh sister, yes. <3 I love the idea of watering our roots where we are placed... you are so right. "That combined with placement and there is quite obviously nothing that can’t be done." LOVE that. And LOVE you. (SO grateful you came by to read and comment!)
So true Chris. Sometimes God wants us to be still and learn and rest – to be in His placement. I have been in shade many times myself, struggling and trying to understand. I remember apologizing to my oldest daighter for failing as a mother when I was raising her and her brother alone. She told me I had nothing to be sorry for, it made her who she is. I have watched her flourish into a kind, sweet, intelligent, compassionate, strong, working woman, wife and mother. She is also the one who moved me from the shade to the light of Jesus. God uses our placement for things we could never imagine, he hand picks those spots for us. Thank you for your beautiful words.