“BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED.”  – Saint Francis de Sales, The Bishop of Geneva

What an amazing thought from someone who died in 1622.  Imagine his life circumstances compared to ours.

When the quote was written or spoken, only a privileged few lived in structures that were built with exteriors and roofs more solid than thatch.  The thatch houses typically had dirt floors.

There was little running water, sanitation was rudimentary at best, abject poverty was in your face at every turn, any disease could be a life-ender and more.

Yet the wisdom of de Sales’ quote is just as important today as when he first spoke the words.

Then and now, our living human “gardens”are the land of opportunity for each of us.  Those gardens present to us what most of us humans call problems.

Yet, in truth, we have no problems; we merely have opportunities.

Whatever you plant with your thoughts, words (especially the unsaid ones!), and deeds will be the harvest you will have and the plants that you will make bloom!

It is up to you to choose that which you wish to harvest.

Life seeds are gifted to you daily.

Even if you are in the deepest physical, financial, personal, emotional or relational situation it is up to you to bloom where you are planted on a daily basis.

Whatever it is we plant, we will experience the results of the life seeds we plant.

I must and am making better “blooming where I am planted”choices.

This means that I find the magical “pearl”of each life experience I have, regardless of whether I enjoy the experience or not!

How about you?

“Be a sweet melody in the great orchestration, instead of a discordant note. The medicine this world needs is love. Hatred must be replaced by love, and fear by faith that love will prevail.” – Peace Pilgrim

Beginning right now, please join me for a self-look in the mirror. How many people could I have made a difference to today had I merely been less self-centered and more kind with my thoughts and words? How many abused children and others less fortunate in life could I have impacted by giving them something – if only a prayer or a desire to help?

As we look in the mirror at ourselves, recognize that each of us has a choice. We may continue serving our own egos as our master, or we can decide that where our ego has brought us to date just doesn’t satisfy that soul hunger burning inside us.

Today, please do as I have done and open up your heart to feel what others feel. Yes, it’s risky as it requires us to become more vulnerable, but it is truly worth the risk.

A smile, a kind word or a simple loving gesture to a child, adolescent or adult who hungers for help can make an enormous difference, whether or not we personally know the recipients.

After all, LOVE is the answer and with it, everything good grows.