Surviving or Thriving?

​I glanced at my office plant and saw a yellowing leaf. My eyes fixated on it as my mind wandered, realizing how in many ways that leaf symbolized human life.
 
Each of us started out vibrant and green, flourishing but with shallow roots. As we grew and matured, our roots dug deeper. We experienced times of joy, but we also learned tough lessons and endured pain. And our newness wore away. Trials came, and our shiny exteriors gave way to signs of wear.
 
And that’s where many of us find ourselves today.
 
We can choose to let those challenging experiences define us and color who we are, accepting the worn look. But that doesn’t have to be the end.
 
Just as I had to prune that yellowing leaf from my plant in order to restore the green, we can opt to face our hurts and pain head-on and heal from those wounds. In so doing, we can restore our vibrancy.
 
That’s my hope for you. 

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