This time I was moving to live near family, my brother. He helped me find the internship that brought me to the Tulsa area, but we were working at different churches all summer, making it a little tricky to see each other at times. Still, it was so nice to have him near. Before that summer I rarely slowed down to make myself (my family) a priority. Making time for family is not only for my family members, but for myself. It's so vital for the human heart to create roots... to maintain them and feel connected somewhere. A healthy plant is a plant with deepening roots. Those are the plants that bear fruit, folks.
I found myself being nomadic. Nomadic is not inherently unhealthy. Nomads often make exceptionally deep connections, it's just not common to make "traditional" connections. Tab's version of being a nomad was like being a plant that was frequently transplanted, but never to a larger pot. That's not to say that "deeper" wasn't an option, I just didn't make time for deeper. Deeper was scary, but why?
I found myself being nomadic. Nomadic is not inherently unhealthy. Nomads often make exceptionally deep connections, it's just not common to make "traditional" connections. Tab's version of being a nomad was like being a plant that was frequently transplanted, but never to a larger pot. That's not to say that "deeper" wasn't an option, I just didn't make time for deeper. Deeper was scary, but why?
In a deeper pot there is more room... in more room, there is more freedom, options, etc... but with deeper roots, it becomes harder and more complicated to uproot. When I day dreamed about the future, I just felt confined. New jobs, new relationships, new residence, new routine... a whole lot of roots! What if I didn't like what I planted myself into? What if a couple of years down the road I didn't like the pot I chose!? "The deeper I go the harder it will be to leave!" I told myself it was about the details... It would be too much work to acclimate to a new city, new job, new apartment... but truthfully, I was terrified of rooting my heart into a new place. Growing roots isn't scary. No, knowing you can never return to the way things were is what's truly scary. So I chose another small pot.
If I were being objective here, I would point out another aspect of what it means to choose a small pot. Some people grow in roughly the same place their entire lives... their primary relationships basically chosen for them by circumstance, not by choice. Their days are filled with tradition, family, routine and rhythm. Much like my nomadic comfort zone, both of these paths WORK and suit the lifestyle they accessorize. Both the house-plants and the nomadic-plants make attempts to experience the other's lifestyle. This isn't because one is better than the other, it's because both are beautiful OPTIONS.
So what does "healthy" look like?
Surely the house-plant deserves to explore when they desire it and the nomad-plant deserves to find a sanctuary when they need it. More to the original point, what's a nomadic girl to do when she transplants herself to Eastern Oklahoma, gets married and deepens her roots?!
Baby steps and balance.
She shops for a bigger pot, she gets her hands dirty exploring her new boundaries, then she breaks the smaller pot. Larger plants can still transplant when necessary... but when a plant has expanded and grown into it's new space, it cannot go back where it came from and still hold onto it's new growth. Onward and upward, friends!
From moving cities and states every other year, to now living in small town Glenpool, owning a 3 bed, 2 bath home! For the first time in my life my nomad-plant day dreams include things like weekly game nights and sporting events, white picket fences and drive in movies... it's scary and amazing all intertwined! This nomad is dabbling, getting a delicious taste of house-plant life, things that wouldn't make sense in my old lifestyle. I'm finding a sanctuary.
Which plant are you?
Is it time to buy a larger pot?
Is it time to make room for new?
If I were being objective here, I would point out another aspect of what it means to choose a small pot. Some people grow in roughly the same place their entire lives... their primary relationships basically chosen for them by circumstance, not by choice. Their days are filled with tradition, family, routine and rhythm. Much like my nomadic comfort zone, both of these paths WORK and suit the lifestyle they accessorize. Both the house-plants and the nomadic-plants make attempts to experience the other's lifestyle. This isn't because one is better than the other, it's because both are beautiful OPTIONS.
So what does "healthy" look like?
Surely the house-plant deserves to explore when they desire it and the nomad-plant deserves to find a sanctuary when they need it. More to the original point, what's a nomadic girl to do when she transplants herself to Eastern Oklahoma, gets married and deepens her roots?!
Baby steps and balance.
She shops for a bigger pot, she gets her hands dirty exploring her new boundaries, then she breaks the smaller pot. Larger plants can still transplant when necessary... but when a plant has expanded and grown into it's new space, it cannot go back where it came from and still hold onto it's new growth. Onward and upward, friends!
From moving cities and states every other year, to now living in small town Glenpool, owning a 3 bed, 2 bath home! For the first time in my life my nomad-plant day dreams include things like weekly game nights and sporting events, white picket fences and drive in movies... it's scary and amazing all intertwined! This nomad is dabbling, getting a delicious taste of house-plant life, things that wouldn't make sense in my old lifestyle. I'm finding a sanctuary.
Which plant are you?
Is it time to buy a larger pot?
Is it time to make room for new?
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