A lesson in a flower

This bloom has taught me something valuable this year, though the story has to go back quite some time. 

I was playing with the idea of moving away from Nagano next year in the spring, thinking of beginning the job hunt at the end of the summer. At that point, it was still a fanciful idea, a little spark that settled into a warm glow in my chest. At that time too, I was growing these beautiful purple and white carnations, which I tended to assiduously. I would panic a little after being away, desperate to see if my plants had survived. 

When I was in the hospital in May this year, I didn't think they would die out, especially since I had left them for two weeks at a time every time I went home for Christmas. What I wasn't expecting, was that a much bigger plant would take over, and here begins our story. 

As I wrote about some time ago, I was getting ready to chuck out the whole plant when I realised that there was something growing at the bottom of all the dead crap. I quickly trimmed it all off, and here was this little bit of growth, bright green among the brown. I vowed not to give up on it, and showed it as much love as I could, simply because it had the nerve to keep growing despite the week of neglect. 

It worked. The plant flourished and grew, as well as that little spark in my chest that told me to move to Osaka. Problem was though, I wasn't sure about the kind of plant I had. All I had were these massive curling leaves and a stem that just wanted to climb. 

I was also extremely unsure about the big move to Osaka. I was sending out applications, several a week but not hearing back from anyone. I was getting ready to stay another year in Nagano, considering that perhaps the pandemic was slowing down recruitment and people weren't as keen to bring new people in. 

But with love, I carried on. Both in taking care of my plant, speaking kind words and watering it and in my job hunt. 

I eventually found a bud growing. And then the first interviews started happening. Granted, I didn't get the first job I interviewed for but in retrospect it was a very good thing. I would have been bored with more of the same and I would not have been able to use my diploma. 

The bloom fully opened yesterday afternoon, just as I received the phone call telling me that I had gotten the job. 

This whole story comes with two lessons: 

a. Nurture what is good in your life, show it love and carry on. Nothing bad can ever come from perseverance and grace, and don't forget to show yourself love too. 

b. Everything happens in its own time, at its own pace. What isn't destined for you will not happen, but trust that what you are meant to accomplish will happen when the time is right. 

I hope I continue to learn from what is around me. It doesn't have to be this profound I suppose, but seeing the parallels between life and what grows around me, I can't help but feel that nurturing one is a reflection of how I look after the other. 

To more lessons, in the coming year!