I’ve never been good at caring for plants. Either I’d forget to water them, water them too much, or put them in a spot where they couldn’t get adequate sunlight and they’d die. I’d pretty much given up on trying to turn my thumb green.
Several months ago I was browsing through my local home improvement store when I was instantly attracted to a “Lucky Bamboo” plant. It had 26 stalks of bamboo all twisted, tied and formed into a gorgeous spiral design.
Something about it just called to me. It reminded me of gentle dancing, swaying easily to the rhythm of life. I had to buy it, I couldn’t help myself - even though I worried I was sentencing this beautiful creation to certain death!
When I got home, I read the care instructions carefully and made sure to give it what it needed. I placed it on a high shelf near my desk (far out of curious kitty reach), watered it daily and sent positive, loving thoughts to it constantly.
It has THRIVED! I’ve been so amazed at the way it’s grown, just exploding with health and vitality. (I’m still not sure if this reflects my own horticulturist abilities or the hardiness of this type of plant, LOL.)
Yesterday I noticed that the plant was getting too big for the pot it came in, so I decided to buy a bigger one. This type of plant doesn’t need soil, the roots just float in water along with some decorative rocks to keep it stable. So while I was out I also picked up some more rocks to fill the larger pot.
Once I started to transplant it to the larger pot, I was horrified to discover that the twisty-ties used to keep the stalks in a spiral pattern were cutting cruelly into the stalks! The plant had grown a lot more than I first realized, leaving deep cut marks where the ties were.
What GUILT flowed into me! Here I was being so attentive to this beautiful creature, speaking kindly, giving it plenty of water and indirect light - while the entire time it was being slowly strangled to death! Ugh.
I immediately began cutting away those restrictive ties and the stalks all fell outward, undoing the spiral design, but I didn’t care. I cut a length of soft cotton fabric to secure them upright, finished filling the new pot with pearl stones and water - and I swear I could hear the plant sighing with relief.
It reminded me of the days when I used to work in a business office and I’d come home immediately after work, desperate to shed the restrictive suits and body-squashing pantyhose. Nothing ever felt so good as slipping into a comfy pair of jeans and flip-flops! 
That’s how I imagined this plant must feel, being freed from its bonds.
Here’s what it looks like now:
It may not be as “pretty” as it was in the spiral pattern, but at least it has room to grow now. I have no doubt it would have died if I’d left those ties on.
And you know me - I always see symbols in things like this! Symbols for the way we live our lives, the way we treat ourselves.
This post isn’t just about a plant. It’s about restriction, and constriction. It’s about giving yourself the room you need to grow into the person you were meant to be.
Too often we try to “mold” ourselves into something we think we should be (or what others think we should be) - but that is never as comfortable as just being genuinely ourselves.
Think about the areas of your life where you are being restricted or constricted in some way.
- Are you placing too many limitations on yourself?
- Are other people placing limitations on you?
- Are you trying to be something you are not?
- Are you avoiding being who you really WANT to be?
Think about it, and then grab your pruning shears and cut those freakin’ ties off!
Now, sigh deeply. Doesn’t that feel better?
Thrive baby, thrive!
Wendy
CreationThoughts.com
WingsfortheHeart.com
VisualizeProsperityBook.com
