A couple of weeks ago I was planting flowers in my yard. I came across a rogue Black-eyed Susie that had cropped up in the front of the flower bed rather than in the back of the bed where all the others had been planted a few years ago. I dug it up and transplanted it back where all it's "family members" lived - at the back of the bed. It had been a happy little plant at the front of the bed, and once transplanted, it promptly wilted. This is fairly common behavior for a transplanted plant - it takes a little while to adjust to it's new location. But with continued care I know that Black-eyed Susie will perk up and be full of blooms once late summer or early fall roll around.
About this time 12 years ago, Darin and I flew into the Philadelphia International Airport and took our first drive up I-476. Darin had been offered a job in Philadelphia and before accepting, we decided to check out the area. We both felt such a sense of peace and we knew the Lord wanted us to move across the country and start a new phase in our life. We planned to live in PA for 2-3 years and then move back to Utah - closer to family. Leaving family behind in Utah was tough, but the peace and assurance we felt from the Lord helped ease the transition greatly. We gained a whole new family in our ward family, as well as a wealth of experiences that I truly believe we could not have been blessed with anywhere else.
In spite of our 2-3 year plan, my dad gave me some great advice right before we moved: "Put down roots as if you were going to stay there forever." Well, Dad, I did just that. And here we are
12 years later and feeling like we
could stay here forever. I have put down roots deep.
Really deep. I love living in this little patch of the Earth. But I'm being uprooted. And transplanted. Back to Utah. Darin and I have prayed about this move and have once again received peace and assurance from the Lord that this is what we are to do. That truly is a tremendous blessing, but it doesn't mean that being uprooted doesn't hurt. As grateful as I am to be going back to my family, it hurts to leave my other "family" behind. It hurts to leave this absolutely beautiful location where so many friendships and memories have been made and lessons have been learned.
I feel like that Black-eyed Susie. What is wrong with where I am currently growing? I quite like it here! I am happy here! But the Gardener has another location for me now. The move hasn't occurred yet, but I fully anticipate wilting a bit once I have been set down in my new surroundings. I don't say that to be negative - just realistic. I know that it will be hard for me. And yet, with the Gardener's continued care, I know that I will bounce back. And perk up. And put down my roots. And bloom once again.
Maybe even by late summer or early fall.
