Blooming Through the Hard Stuff

Almost every day, I stop and look at a plant I had bought on a whim. Honestly, when I first brought it home, it looked nearly gone—drooping, dry, and more brown and yellow than green. It was a Hibiscus that was $7 on clearance. At the store, I told the hubs, I had to have that plant. We brought the plant home, and kind of laughed about buying a plant that was dang near dead. We gave it a little care, removing all of the dead leaves, giving it some water, and planted it surrounded by cow poop.

Slowly but surely, that plant came back to life. Today it’s blooming beautifully, full of color and energy I never thought I’d see.

That little plant has me thinking. Sometimes in life, we have to sit in the “shit” for a while. We have to marinate in the bull—our struggles, our challenges, the parts of life that don’t feel good. But it’s those very experiences that give us the perspective to truly appreciate the bright, beautiful days when they finally arrive. Without the hard times, the blooms wouldn’t feel nearly as sweet.

I had a conversation with my dad recently that tied this lesson together. He reminded me how, growing up, he made us work for everything we had. Not because he wanted to be mean, but because he wanted to instill something deeper: a work ethic. He taught us the value of rolling up our sleeves, using our brains to figure things out, and leaning on common sense to guide us. At the time, it wasn’t always easy, but looking back, I’m endlessly grateful.

My dad is one of my favorite people in this world. Not because he made things easy for us, but because he gave us the tools to handle life when it isn’t easy. His lessons, like that little plant and its cow-poop revival, are constant reminders that growth comes from the grit. Beauty blooms after the bullshit.

So here’s to the messes, the lessons, and the people who love us enough to teach us how to grow through both. 🌸

My Hibiscus about a week after we got it.