Resiliency musings

Yesterday morning I was running around like a little fool trying to get several things done before dashing off to work. I was hurrying across the backyard to put some water on my one lone tomato plant and was pulled up short by (of all things) several bright little yellow weed flowers.

Now I hate weeds as much as the next soul and usually pull them up when I'm feeling industrious, but I was struck by their resiliency. Just a couple of days ago they were nothing more than little semi-green spots against the vast expanse of our dead yard, and today they had sprung up into these large flowered stems. They intrigued me ... I thought about them on and off all day. I thought about how persistent the darn things are ... they just keep coming back and coming back no matter how many times we wack them down, pull them up or stomp all over them.(these pictures aren't the best, but hopefully they give you a sort-of visual)

It caused me to think about my life -- how resilient am I? How well do I bounce back after I get stomped on, pulled to pieces or wacked down? After many years I think I'm finally starting to learn that everything we experience has something to teach us, no matter how joyful a thing or how painful a thing. Working our way through experiences and allowing them to touch us or stretch us can catapult us to new levels, or even just move us one little inch up the ladder. Or they can push us backwards if we let them. Seems like it's all about how we choose to deal with life ... how willing am I to embrace whatever comes my way? Hmmmmm. Maybe I'll leave those weeds for a little while ... at least until this weekend (or until Ruth sees them and cuts them down - hah!).