Signs & Signals Along The Way

It is amazing how the signs and signals appear on our journey.

At my dad’s funeral, the Christmas before last, we had placed little poinsettia plants on the tables (you know the ones that you buy for less than $5.00 that you throw away pretty much once New Year’s has come and gone).  So here we are, nearly 18 months later and this little plant still marches on. In the last couple of months, this little plant has been looking rather bedraggled and ready for the compost bin, but as I was consumed with the sentimentality of this plant, I just couldn’t bring myself to put it in the compost bin quite yet! 

This little poinsettia lives in the bathroom and before my partner took a shower he had been thinking that some of his projects were done, pretty much like this plant.  While he had his shower, the plant found new life, actually budding with a few new leaves during the time he was in the shower.  My partner has been blazing some new trails in his business and he had been looking for some signs of whether he needs to continue or not.  The plant’s capacity to sprout served as a powerful signal for him.  He has chosen to continue with his project in a much more optimistic way.

Our phases of growth come in different ways and at different times, and learning to understand whether we are needing to abandon the path or forge ahead at times can be a complex task.  Learning to listen to the signals and explore the growth that is possible is truly the gift for all of us.

Is there unexplored growth in the projects that lie before you?