“Courage is not the towering oak that sees storms come and go; it is the fragile blossom that opens in the snow.” ~Alice M. Swaim
No matter how tempting, you can’t force a bud to open. It will flower in its time.
Timing is probably one of the least understood aspects of life. We often plan our lives, but time interferes. We rush ahead trying to save as many minutes as we can. Not enough time for this or that. Other things occur before expected. We eventually learn to flow with it and let life unfold on its own accord.
When we force ourselves ahead of life we fail to bloom as nature intends. Projects are the same way. When we push through with half-hearted efforts, we’re not giving it our best. Sometimes we need to wait to allow that “best” to develop. Talent takes time, energy, and even passion.
Other times we merely need confidence; the courage to believe in ourselves. Perhaps we feel it a tad vain to think we have what it takes to “bloom”…then again, if we don’t believe in ourselves why should others?
Like early spring flowers, some ventures bloom unexpectedly. Others need a bit more rain, sunshine, and perhaps a little boost of fertilizer. When the time is right, they will unfold and petals will emerge to create a lovely blossom.
Do you ever get that feeling the time is just not right to do something? You don’t know quite why but feel like you need to sit on it a while. That happens to me often. I find half started quilts or sewing projects in drawers or storage bins. I discover words scribbled in notebooks. I run across draft files I’ve forgotten about. The point is they come back to me when I’m ready for them. I had the instinct to know they weren’t ready at the time…I knew I still had work to do. Does this ever happen to you?
Here’s hoping all our spring buds will bloom into hardy summer blossoms!
Living in the Gap
May 25, 2012 – Importance of Life Stories
I’m working on a memoir so I call my dad to compare my memory of a specific event with his. I can’t seem to recall some names so I describe in detail the mannerisms of the people I am picturing. He knows immediately who I am referring to and tells me I remember them surprisingly well. We talk for a good half an hour about those “good old days”. The softness of his tone and the words he chooses display admiration for these people, and I sense his longing for days gone by. I can almost see him smile through the phone. My heart warms and aches at the same time. More than ever I realize the importance of recording these stories.
that so happens to me and, for many years, I put it down to procrastination or lack of ambition. In my older, wiser, years I’ve come to understand just what you’ve expressed here. The time is not yet ripe, leave it be, sit on it for a while. We have a proverb in French “chaque chose en son temps” which loosely translated means ‘each thing in its own time’.
I like that, but I’m afraid I have no idea how to say it…need to google to find pronunciation!
I know how to pronounce it (little smile). It’s a wonderful expression. We should heed its wisdom. And incidentally, even the pronunciation has a sort of calming set of sounds – ideal for the sentiment which, in and of itself, reminds us to take a breath, let time work its wonders, and seek perspective.
Lovely post.
I’ll bet you do!
What you add here makes me like it even more.
Now I’m off to find a verbal tranlator online so I can hear it for myself!
Just did it…male voice, sounded rather sexy!
I like this quote which reminds me to give my questions time. “Live your questions now, and perhaps even without knowing it, you will live along some distant day into your answers. “
Rainer Maria Rilke
I’ve never heard this, but I love it!
Timing is everything. Thanks for the reminder.
Yes, it is. I often forget it and chastise myself for not completing project, but I need to remind myself they always come back in their time.
In recent years, I have wished so often that I had spent more time talking to my parents, finding out more about their lives and how the reality of those lives compared to their dreams. I have photos – I would love to have had the stories that went with them.
I wish I’d started on this project years ago. It’s one of those things I’ve said I was going to do but never got around to it.
Suzi, you always seem to share insight that I need at the moment. So, thank you!
I loved each and every word of this post, but this stood out the most for me…
“When we force ourselves ahead of life we fail to bloom as nature intends. Projects are the same way. When we push through with half-hearted efforts, we’re not giving it our best. Sometimes we need to wait to allow that “best” to develop. Talent takes time, energy, and even passion.”
Amen!
“Do you ever get that feeling the time is just not right to do something?’
Yes. In fact, there is something I’ve been wanting to do, but my intuition is telling me it’s not the right time. Patience.
Enjoyed your Living in the Gap! I could actually feel the beautiful energy exchanged between you and your father through your words.
Have a wonderful weekend, my friend…..X
P.S. great photo! I love the smell of gardenia’s!
When the time is right for your project, I know it’ll fly…you have great intuition!
Had another half hour convo with him this morning continuing yesterday’s subject and would have lasted longer but I had little people here demanding my attention…
The first photo was taken yesterday and the second was taken a couple of years ago…love gardenias.
How blessed you are to still have your dad around to share those memories! I often asked Daddy to put down some of his stories for future generations, but he declined. Now that he’s gone, I miss hearing them, and it’s sad to think they won’t get written. Don’t suggest I write them — memoir isn’t my genre-of-choice. What a gorgeous gardenia — I can almost smell it from here!
I am truly blessed to have both my parents.
Ha, never thought I was a memoir writer either…once upon a time I was strictly fiction/poetry. Then the genealogy bug hit me, and suddenly I started really listening to all of my father’s colorful stories. He is a wealth of information and quite the entertainer. I only wish I’d been recording these stories before now…and truly his stories are not mine to record, but I can write the ones that involve me from my own point of view and remembrance. We find they do differ at times which makes them interesting for him as well. However, he really does enjoy being the star of some of my memoir.
Hi – stopping by from being rudri – saw your comment there and wanted to visit. This has happened to me so often – the putting something aside only to pick it up later when it feels right. happens often with books. i’ve read something or quit reading part way into it only to pick it up, sometimes years later and can’t put it down. or different parts really speak to me. i’ve learned to let things flow – everything we really need is downstream. No need to paddle so hard. Great reminder. So soothing. And yes – those gardenia? I can almost smell them from your photo.
everything we really need is downstream. No need to paddle so hard. – I like the way you put that, and you are so right.
Gardenia, yes.
Thanks for stopping by.
I’m guessing I must be an autumn bloomer.
Love the photos.
Or, wait . . . what’s the rush. I’ll be a December Rose.
I’m a late bloomer, too…some things are worth the wait, right?
Mmmmmm gardinias. Pretty.
…ans they smell delightful!
Thanks for the new saying and I loved your living in the gap!!
Natural Time. In Nia we call it Natural Time. Things unfold in Natural Time. We move in Natural Time. It is a wonderful thing to embrace, not always easy or even possible, but when life allows . . . . . oh so wonderful!
Natural time – I love it!
Everyone, everyBODY has its own Natural Time.
It always seems that when the time is right everything falls into place especially when I’m working on a writing project. I can have all kinds of great ideas but can not always turn them into stories until everything is just so. I wish it was different. I’d certainly get much more accomplished.
That’s how it works for me as well.
I agree, sometimes things aren’t right and you have to wait, others you have to make things happen. I hope you bloom this summer!
Thanks, Vic. I hope you do as well.
Sometime we want everything fast and instant.. But yes, we need to wait sometime… Thank you for reminding us, Suzi
Some things are worth waiting for!
Yes, sometimes a little voice inside says to wait. Too bad it doesn’t shout it to me other times!
When I don’t listen to the little voice, it usually starts shouting!
There are whispers that indicate sometimes that you may not be completely prepared to embrace an opportunity because of timing issues. When we miss these kind of moments, the hope is that it will resurface when we are ready to dive in.
I know sometimes timing is the key.