Having the Patience of a Wildflower
Here in Austin, Texas where I live, it is spring and Mother Nature is in her glory. Wildflowers are popping up all over my yard and in the park across the street from my house. Rain has been sparse recently, but these particular flowers are well-adapted to our semi-desert conditions.
As a newish gardener, I’m fascinated by the tenacity with which wildflowers bloom in Texas. Many of the flowers only last a few weeks. They bloom enthusiastically then drop their seeds without fanfare. The parent plants disappear after the spring rains turn into a predictable summer of drought and searing heat.
This year as I admired the abundant flowers, I realized that Mother Nature is offering us a lesson in achieving our goals: We must have patience.
After the plants drop their seeds, there is no more toil. The plants don’t ask impatient questions like “When are these seeds going to sprout?!?” or “Did I just do all that work for nothing?!?” The mom and dad plants simply go on their way, trusting that the baby seeds will germinate at some point.
The seeds lie dormant through summer, fall, and winter. They wait patiently until it is their time. They don’t even attempt to sprout until conditions are favorable for success. How different from the way most of us pursue our goals!
Have you ever had a goal and thought “What is taking so long?!?” Have you suffered in frustration as you felt that your goal would never come to fruition? Have you ever given up on a goal because it took too long to achieve? Have you ever not even started a goal because it seemed too overwhelming?
A famous quote by Earl Nightingale put this situation in perspective for me. When I saw this quote for the first time, I thought it was brilliant:
“Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.” - Earl Nightingale
Success is not only about having patience, of course. You must sow the seeds of success, just as my wildflower friends do. Not every seed will germinate, but if you keep working, some will. You may not have to wait three full seasons to see your goals come to fruition, but it’s likely that you won’t see results as quickly as you wish. Giving up too soon is often what veers us off course from our goals.
What goal have you given up on that might only have needed more patience to see it through to harvest?
It’s easy to get frustrated when results are slow in coming. but take a lesson from Texas wildflowers. Whatever you want to achieve, commit to it and have the patience to see it through. If you keep going, someday your own little flower will pop up and you’ll be delighted that your patience has finally paid off. :)
