Hope is an Orchid

My orchids bloomed at least once a year in Chicago—usually in March despite being situated on the inside of a courtyard window. Meaning: only direct sunlight mid-day. In Michigan they bloomed at my first apartment in Meridian Meadows. Since moving to the Tiny House=nada.

This spring my daughter asked me why I continue to keep them if they weren’t doing anything. I’m so glad I didn’t give up on them!

I did some necessary re-arranging; moving coat rack where the plant stand was and moving the plant stand by the French doors so that they could make use of the long afternoon sunlight. Besides my coats were beginning to breakdown and the colors fade from direct sunlight being by the door. It was a good move for these two reasons—to save the coats and help the plants.

And, boy!

The orchids immediately thanked me, by reviving. The orchid in the middle grew over 20 buds! Right now 4 have flowered. The rest are also sprouting new leaves and getting stronger.

There is a life lesson here.

I try to tell myself everyday not to get too depressed by the awful state of the world and cataclysmic changes that are coming from the recent finance bill passed through Congress that will take away 16 million people’s benefits. There’s actually a lot to be upset about. But life goes on, if we don’t give up hope. When my friend’s husband died she made a drastic move, and then moved again. She was forced into change and then decided on her own to make more changes. Sometimes we are pushed and sometimes we slowly come to a decision. In my case the choice to rearrange was a good one.

At the moment I was overwhelmed, I had no idea of the outcome (admittedly the stakes were low) or even if it would work. Change can feel like disaster, a disruption, out of the norm, that’s why we resist it.

But, again, history often proves that the risk provides great payoff. Some change is good. Human beings need to adapt in order to survive and keep going. My orchids are evidence of this. So I like to remind myself when I look at them and spot another bud-ball opening that not all change is bad.