“Bloom where you are planted.” -ancient proverb
I have lived in the same house for nearly all of my 28 (almost 29) years of living. This home is full of so many memories. Echoes of my past reverberate around me daily. Like a time traveler, I cross my own time line more often than I realize. Sometimes the ghosts of me are suffocating and sometimes they remind me how far I’ve come.
My childhood memories are like a distant dream. I jumped on a trampoline in this yard, I played with dolls in my room, and I lay on this same living room floor while I did my homework.
My awkward, uneasy teenage years were spent here. I cried in my bedroom as I battled insomnia. I wrote poetry in my journal. I got ready for prom and graduation. I grew up.
After college graduation, I returned here. I dreamed of leaving this place. I left and discovered that the real world could be unpredictable and unpleasant. I tried to move away twice, but returned each time and I’m still here. This house has been my launching pad, but for some reason, I always find my way back.
Almost every day I wish I was somewhere other than here. I complain about how small my town is and that I don’t have many opportunities here. It seems like I spend most of my time wishing instead of growing. Instead of blooming where I’m planted, I whine and become bitter. Because life doesn’t always go the way I expect, I forget how I blessed I really am. Though my roots are firmly planted here, that doesn’t mean I can’t learn, thrive, and blossom. This town might be the perfect soil I need to help me dream, write, and create.
If you feel like you are stuck as I do sometimes, know that you are where you are for a reason. It doesn’t matter your location, but what you do with the talents and resources you’ve been given. You and I must learn to let our roots provide a solid foundation for us as we grow upward and strive towards our full potential. As we let our past water us with wisdom, we will look to the rays of hope shining down on us, and leading us to a brilliant future.