• When Patience and Surrender are the Keys


    Several years ago, my son asked if I wanted some cuttings from the family Christmas cactus. A plant that had grown to epic proportions, it flowered beautifully every year. As my new, little plant grew, I looked forward to the day that it bloomed.

    Rather than flowering, my cactus began to show major signs of stress, so I gave it to a friend with greener thumbs than I. Not expecting it back, one day it returned – a healthy and vibrant green.

    I waited patiently for it to bloom. I watered it, babied it, and pleaded with it – to no avail. Then I ignored it, let it get dry and withered, then gave in and started watering it again. Finally I surrendered and just let it be. I had done my part. If it was going to flower, it was up to the plant and whatever connection it had to the Universe.

    This March, much to my delight, tiny white buds started to appear – my dream come true! I grin every day at the sight of these large pink blooms.

    Funny how this event is yet another metaphor for life. How often do we have a dream, a goal, or a vision that we dedicate ourselves to for years – only to be empty-handed much later. Let’s assume that the path you’ve been on is where you’re meant to be. You’ve done everything in your power to make it come about, yet somehow that’s not enough.  Now what?

    There are often two keys operating here. One key is patience. Fine wine, from vines to grapes takes time to mature.  When patience is required, I distance myself a bit and turn most of my attention to another project, knowing that when the time is right, my results will materialize. That patience extends to not quitting too soon, something I’ve lived to regret when I lost all patience because of a long delay.

    Another key is surrender. Most projects require not only your actions but the actions of others. There are parts you can’t control, such as timing and delivery. Surrender doesn’t mean giving up –it’s about letting go of the part you have no control over anyway. That’s the job of the Universe and the human partners it sends your way. When we’re focused, we only see the track we’re on, not the whole picture. Consider that there could be an even better result that you couldn’t possibly see – by surrendering what’s not in our control, we open up to glorious possibilities.

    One wild example: years back, we had a clunker of a car that needed replacing, but no money to buy one and no credit for a loan. A serendipitous series of events brought a new truck to our door via a contest that my husband won at the racetrack. We never saw that one coming!

    In the words of Jiminy Cricket, “Fairytales can come true…” Use the keys of patience and surrender to make it happen for you!




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