Don’t give up.
Gardening isn’t my forte, and I’ve never boasted one of those Instagram-worthy bountiful gardens. I hope to cultivate one someday, armed with experience and knowledge, but for now, I’m content with being an amateur gardener.
What I excel at, however, is embracing life’s challenges and gleaning profound insights from them. Little did I expect that my modest garden, initially envisioned as a source of a few vegetables and a family bonding experience, would teach me such valuable lessons.
While my garden may lack a surplus of tangible, edible produce at the moment, it is abundant in perspective. We sowed the seeds just two weeks ago, preceded by the labor-intensive task of relocating the garden to a sunnier, better-drained spot—a lesson from last year’s endeavors.
Planting the seeds was only the beginning. We diligently watered, weeded, and created the healthiest environment we could. However, despite our efforts, nothing sprouted for a considerable period.
A few days before witnessing the first sprouts, doubt crept in. I worried that perhaps the cold had taken its toll, and our tiny seeds hadn’t survived. Here I was, questioning whether our time and effort had been in vain.
I kept a watchful eye on the garden, nurturing it with time and attention, wondering if it would bear any fruit at all. The thought of resorting to buying established plants crossed my mind, but it wasn’t my preferred outcome. I thought long and hard about another possibility: to give up.
Then, I saw it:
All the hard work and tender care we had invested had begun to yield results. Underneath the surface, hidden from view, roots had grown, and stems and leaves had emerged.
This experience taught me a valuable lesson that transcends gardening.
Building dreams, businesses, and relationships demands persistence, discipline, and hard work. More often than not, we prematurely abandon our pursuits because we don’t see immediate results. Fearing disappointment, we turn away, unaware that something significant may be happening beneath the surface.
Perhaps we’ve been hurt in the past, and that fear of hurt drives us to quit.
But what if we persist and succeed? Would the risk not have been worth it?
I recall when Joe and I embarked on our journey to build a community of dream-chasers. We conducted live streams that garnered no viewers, created videos that drained our resources rather than generating income, and contemplated quitting numerous times due to the difficulties and apparent futility.
Then, the breakthrough arrived.
I shudder to think about the missed opportunities and stunted growth had we quit. What if we hadn’t adapted, learned, or persevered in the face of adversity?
We chose to adapt.
We chose to persevere in challenging situations and uncover valuable truths.
Sometimes, you never know if your hard work is bearing fruit beneath the surface.
True, our garden isn’t yet flourishing with bountiful produce, but today, I glimpsed the promise of a future harvest. We didn’t give up.
And for that, I am profoundly excited.
