Potential

Last week I wrote about spring, and how a little burst of spring weather bolstered my spirits…and then most of this week was cold and windy and generally unpleasant. Still, it’s warmer than it was a month or two ago, and I know spring will really be here soon, bringing with it all the green and growing things that hide away during the winter.

Last week after I dropped the dog off at doggy daycare, I decided to go run in a local nature preserve. There are lots of lovely bike/walking trails in the area, and I sometimes get bored with running the same mile+ near my house almost every day. A little variety is nice.

So, I went to a place I know has good trails, and set off for a rare run without my pup. Like I said it was in a nature preserve–a place where, during the summer, the forest on either side of the trails there is green and lush and full of wildlife. But even now, without leaves on the trees or growth in the understory, it was picturesque (see my unfiltered photo above). But I know that it has the potential to be even more beautiful–the plants just need cues from Mother Nature to know when to share that potential.

And that made me think about humans, and how we’re all lovely in our own ways, but when the conditions are right, we can grow into something even more beautiful. Sometimes it takes coaxing from others for us to allow ourselves to grow into something more, but everything we need to make a change is inside of us, just waiting until the time is right for us to share our gifts.