Being Chopped Down.

Right now I am sitting on my 8 by 8 patio in my puffy vest and maroon sweater and just entirely soaking in what the 2^nd day of October should always feel like. At the same time I am beyond ecstatic that my little garden is still going strong. Yes, the small freeze we had did bring on some causalities, but I still see a future with fresh tomatoes in my pico and spaghetti, which is almost better than a new sweater from J.Crew, almost.

 While out here I took a pair of scissors to my beloved basil plant. See, my basil plant has been a little adolescent lately and decided to erupt in miniature flower stems. Now, I don’t know much about plants, but I do know that when those little sprigs start popping up the plant stops producing and thinks that it has reached its full potential. (It’s like when those older folk no longer need to acknowledge social norms and can spout out whatever crazy things they like. When you reach that point, that’s when you know you’ve made it.) Little does my plant know, I have bigger and better things planned for it. I know that it can do better, be the best little basil plant on the block. So, I went through snipping off those little sprouts and piling them like trophies.

 

I can only imagine the amount of energy and resources my little plant went through to achieve that “flower” status, only for me to chop it right back on down. But do I feel even a little bit bad about it? No. Actually, I took pleasure in the entire process. I wish it realized how much better I was making it. How much more it can become. How many more tomato and basil pizzas it can supply for my liking.

Through all aspects of my life I see this principle at work. And oh am I frustrated when I get chopped back down again and sometimes again. It’s those moments that my basil plant pops into my mind and I take a big breath in, I let it out, and I accept that I have not reached my full potential-which I know is obvious, but sometimes just plain dumb. After accepting it I press on, because let’s be real for a second, why would we want to settle for anything less than the best we can be? Because we all know that anything less than the best is a felony.

With that inspirational tidbit from Vanilla Ice I say, Happy October to you, and don’t be afraid if you get a little chopped down too.