Above is the dream. 

Phantom Hydrangeas in the fall. Turning from green, to white and then as autumn temperatures arrive, a brilliant pink, blush, soft rust color. These lovelies are tended to by my neighbors, and I recently took a couple of afternoons and evenings in my own garden to plant a few Phantom Hydranges of my own in hopes of welcoming similar beauty to the fall season next year. 

An entire year and maybe two or three is the duration that patience must be practiced in order to wait for the height of the hydrangeas gifts. 

When we decide upon what we wish to welcome into our lives, often our greatest hopes require not only clarity of what we seek, but patience to enable it to materialize. I sat down last night and read the entire book The War of Art, and the writer confirmed such a truth for a deeply fulfilling life in which each of us reaches our unique and full potential - the quick purchases that whittle away our savings that were to be used to attain the big dream we hope will someday walk into our lives, the comforts that squander our energy beyond self-care and distract us from spending time dedicated to our sincere passions, each of these short-term band-aids hurts us in the long-run and get in the way of experiences deep, fulfilling and a joyful life of contentment. 

We must plant the shrub years before we know it will bloom. We must do our homework and learn how to care for the shrub along its journey to its full potential. We must remain dedicated because the reward will be great, but the path along the way will be incredibly soothing as well. The latter truth is the detail our old impatient self could not fathom, but it is true. 

I think of the flower farmers who attend the local farmers market and arrive with a bounty (as seen above) of late summer blooms for arrangements of unique and brilliant combinations. They planned ahead, they planted the tubers, the seeds, the . . . you know what I mean, and they did so because of a love for what they were doing as well as being able to bring them to sell to the public far, far down the road. 

The world we live in has up until the pandemic been a world of expedience due to competitors upping the bar for how fast a package can be delivered, how quickly we can see the food we have ordered, etc. etc., etc.. We are just as to blame as the businesses as we may have become unconsciously used to and expected a rapid pace. When we expect "quick" with all of life's wants, needs, desires, etc., we actually may be diminishing the quality of our lives. 

So today, why not examine what pace you want to travel through life, what life experiences and gifts you want to bring into your life that may take longer than you are used to, but in the long run will elevate your entire life far more than the quick arrival of that substitute that just won't be anywhere near as amazing. For me, it is my garden, and I am willing to wait patiently (and until the blooms appear, I'll just keep walking past my neighbor's house :)).