Left for Dead

I had a large clay pot that needed to be tossed. I asked the gardner if he would be kind enough to remove it for me. I caught him as he was leaving and he told me he had put the dirt that was left in the pot on my large, potted ficus. I thanked him for being so clever and forgot about our exchange. The next day I went to see the ficus and my heart leaped into my throat.

Every year I buy a four leaf clover plant at Trader Joe's in honor of St. Patrick's Day. Over time I have learned how to keep them alive not only well past the holiday but, in a few cases, for several years. I had one in a small pot sitting beneath the potted ficus. The gardener had indeed filled in with the extra soil but in doing so, he had buried the clover. All I saw sticking out of the earth were a few green stalks. What an odd choice, I thought. Why on earth did he wantonly destroy one plant while rescuing another?

My plants sit outside my back door and truth be told I see them but once a week in the winter for watering. The weeks went by and I saw a bit more of the clover pushing through the soil but nothing to write home about. I had to work out of state recently and while I was gone we had several days of heavy rain. Every single one of my clover plants was full and glorious including the one I felt had been left for dead. I could have named it Lazarus.

We can be knocked down by life and feel certain that we have nothing left to give, experience or receive. As time passes, if we allow it, healing soothes our wounded parts and suddenly it's time to flower again. If you have been discouraged in your organizing efforts, take heart. Do you need to work with someone like me or read a guide like One Year to an Organized Life? Do you need to eliminate from your life the voices that do nothing but criticize you and lay blame at your feet? Is it time for a rest and a re-set? Just like my sweet, buried clover, you can muster the energy to push through and flower again in ways you never imagined. I'm here to help.