The seed anchors itself deeper into the soil before it can begin the journey upward.
The upward journey is the act of breaking through layers of sediment until it reaches light and catches its first invigorating breath.
We see the flower and want to take it home. We admire its beauty and inhale its fragrance. We never admire the root system. No one wants to take that home.
But it´s in the darkness of the dirt, the grime, the manure where the effort resides. The work done there supports and nurtures what has blossomed.
We are enamored with the visual. We admire the creation that has broken through and are attracted to its fragrance, but not the toil of the underground.
The transformation from a seed to a plant to a flower is a shared experience in nature.
The womb is a dark place, the growth uncomfortable, and delivery painful. Yet the breaking into the light, the emergence of new life, full of potential and possibility is amazing.
The entombed caterpillar decomposes before the restructuring of its entire makeup and then struggles to break through the chrysalis to emerge as a an unidentifiable version of its former self. The caterpillar limited to a terrestrial experience becomes the butterfly with a mobility the caterpillar could have never imagined.
But it´s in the darkness of the dirt, the grime, the manure where the effort resides. The work done there supports and nurtures what has blossomed.
Every endeavor begins in seed form and carries within it potential. It knows what it wants to become. The environment, and the work that occurs there, is key to its development.
It can get uncomfortable in this environment. It may take longer than anticipated. It may feel like a struggle taking place in isolation. Our response during these moments is critical.
What you choose to focus on can influence, not only the rate of growth, but the outcome.
In moments like these you can anchor yourself, like the seed in the dirt, by choosing to step back so that you can remember why you started this journey, why this path is important to you and others, and the life you get to have. The life that is waiting for you on the other end.
Nelson Mandela was asked what he did during his time of imprisonment. His response was, “Preparing.”
The toil, struggle, and pain of the underground, the long hours and loneliness that no one sees, it´s all a part of the process - the subterranean work.
You are preparing. You are breaking through and when you bloom, people will admire what you have created.
Everyone gets to breathe in the fragrance of your success. But only a few will really understand and appreciate the beauty of the work done underground.
Don’t forget, the mighty oak is nothing more than an acorn that stood its ground.
Comments