A Helping Hand
Working in the gardens has shown me just how resilient plants can be, but there are moments when even the most vigorous of plants need a helping hand.
I was walking through the perennial gardens and noticed that the strong winds had blown over one of our tall growing flowers. With only a few days away from blooming, I couldn’t just let it lay there, defeated. I grabbed a bamboo stake and quickly tied the long stem to its sturdy new companion. These tall flowers are known for their thick stalks and strength, but even they couldn’t withstand the raging winds.
Once staked and reaching for the skies again, I took a moment to reflect on how we as humans can learn from such an experience. Many of us think that we are invincible, going day by day, facing the world with our heads held high. No matter what life throws at us, we continue to uphold our strong and unbreakable character. We think we can do it all ourselves.
I take a look back at my life and think about how much easier some things could have been if only I had asked for help, but my pride was too strong. Friends and family offered to help, but I turned it away every time. “I’m fine,” I said. “Oh, it’s nothing.” I said. “Its no big deal.”
One day, it finally became too much and I cracked. The weight of the world came crashing down and I could do nothing but cry, releasing my fears and anxieties. I felt that I was failing at life, that I wasn’t working hard enough, that I was letting everyone down.
“But you’re doing amazing! You’re doing the best you possibly can!” The words echoed through my mind. My partner, Domonick, was on the other side of the screen (during one of our many long-distance video calls), watching me panic, doing all he could to soothe my spirit. I finally let it out and asked for help.
His sweet consoling words pulled me out of the hole my mind was digging and brought me back. All it took was speaking my fears into existence for me to realize how small they truly were compared to the grandness of what I was accomplishing. Taking that moment to communicate it with someone and talking it through was all I needed to lift my spirits. The moment those words left my mouth, I felt a weight lifting.
The next day, I was full of life again, ready to take on the world.
Don’t let your fears consume you. Don’t let it bottle up inside until it becomes far too much. It's okay to ask for help. Like those tall flowers, we need support to reach for the skies and blossom.