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Growth

Updated: Sep 1, 2020


This lavender plant started in February of this year from a tiny seed along with dozens if not hundreds of others planted at the same time. It was one of the few that survived through its tender seedling stage and began to grow strong and set deepening roots. In late spring it’s fragrant purple blooms appeared, welcoming pollinators of all kinds and yielding an abundant and aromatic harvest. It’s limbs were so plentiful, quickly regrowing after each cutting. Several of the clippings even grew on to become new plants. After a while though, the growth slowed and seemed to cease completely. As the need to “do something” to help this plant was obvious by its sudden stunting, the decision was made to transfer it from its container into the soil herb garden. Upon dumping the root ball out of the medium sized planter in which it began its life, the trouble was sharply apparent:

The plant had outgrown its container. Much like an arthropod or reptile that outgrows it’s exoskeleton or skin, or fish in captivity that only grow to the size of their enclosure, this plant was starving for more space. More space in which to branch out, breathe, be enriched, encounter others in its environment, and to grow.

Sometimes, the process of growth can seem shaky, the path may look blurry, and the transition may feel uncomfortable. But each step in the process is entirely necessary to achieve maximum results.


As humans, we are much like plants in our need to belong to a community in which we can be firmly rooted and nourished. We should be careful not to become confined by our containers: our immediate circumstances, our tragedies and traumas, our limited perspectives and biased mindsets. May we instead always strive for growth, think outside the box, reach beyond all borders and barriers, and weave a network strongly intertwined together, just as the roots of a plant, producing abundance, color, flavor, and enrichment beyond measure.


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