Noelle and I got a lesson in rose bush pruning today. Well, she slept in the stroller while I eavesdropped on a park employee giving a training lesson to some other employees.⠀
I felt like it was divine timing—that I would happen to stumble upon this scene. I learned about life through that lesson. And well, I thought I’d share some of it with you!⠀
She said:⠀
* “A healthy rose should be able to come back from a 1/3 cut.”⠀
I thought about the “cuts” in my life—the trials I’ve been through. Our miscarriage. Chronic pain for so many years. If we are healthy, we are able to come back from these types of cuts. And I am grateful I have been able to.⠀
* “Prune all the stems and leaves. For 2 weeks the bush will have the ability to ‘rest’ without mildew and such and be able to produce more beautiful roses.”⠀
What sort of pruning do I need to do in my own life? Shall I take then two weeks to rest that I might be able to produce more beauty from my life?⠀
* “You should aim to have about 5 to 8 stems.”⠀
Sometimes my life has way too many stems. What happens then is they get all muddled together in the middle, and no beautiful flowers are produced. The ones that are flop and wilt. I should evaluate what my 5-8 main stems are and make sure I don’t crowd them out with unnecessary ones.⠀
* “If the stem is narrower than a pencil, you want to cut that one down. It won’t be able to support the weight of a rose.”⠀
Hmm. What stems are narrower than a pencil in my life? Weaker? Of lesser strength? Maybe I should get rid of those and focus on the main ones that will be able to hold the weight of the roses I long to grow.⠀
Hope this lesson blessed you like it blessed me. Hope it got you thinking. Hope it will bring more beauty in your life and in your story.⠀
