Bloom Where You Can: Guest Post by Robert Hruzek

August 5, 2009 · by Joanna Paterson · in

What does a small bunch of flowers have to do with this month’s topic: possibility?

Well… quite a lot, actually. (And what does my hero, Spiderman have to do with anything? Actually, not much. I just love the snazzy costume.)

I am NOT Spiderman (*sigh*)

As you may recall, I’ve mentioned before how “photo-ready” I’ve become these days. Not that I’m always, y’know, photogenic (or that I’m, er, not) – no, what I mean is, I’m always searching for something interesting to snap a photo of.

I gotta admit, I’ve really caught the bug, too. Even Mrs. MZM occasionally will recognized those times, looking over at me and acknowledging, “I know; you want to take a picture of that…” (whatever it is). So it’s only natural I’m always on the lookout, you know? Therefore, anywhere I go, I’ve always got my “photo-sense” on and set to scan (it’s something like Spiderman’s “spidey-sense”, only it won’t, alas, alert me to impending doom like it does for him). Hey, you never know, right?

Anyhoo, the other day I had to run a quick errand to the store, so naturally as I’m driving, I’m scanning as much as possible (while keeping my eyes safely on the road, of course!), just to see if there’s anything worth shooting. Now, I’m real big on finding new stuff, even embedded within the familiar, so to speak, so just because I’ve traveled this particular route about a thousand times before is no big deal. I was positive something would turn up.

But this trip, I drove to the store, picked up the desired couple of items, gassed up the car, and was heading back, all without having snapped a single shot of anything. I was getting disappointed, to say the least, and I couldn’t believe there wasn’t one single thing interesting enough to photo somewhere along the way!

But… as we business strategists like to say: good things always come to those are willing to do what is necessary, and then… wait. (Note: you have to do those two things in that order!)

I was almost home, only a block or two away, when I came up to one final stop sign. All I had to do was turn left, drive less than a minute, and I’d be home. That’s when it happened (sound of angels singing). My photo-sense tingled, and my eyes, as if by magic, were drawn down and to my right – to the curb.

There was my subject! Right there, blooming like crazy from a tiny little space between concrete slabs, was a bundle of purple whatever-they-ares! (Anyone know what they are? I’m no good at namin’ plants and flowers.)

I have to say, I was quite impressed by this amazing demonstration of tenacity. After all, this particular plant’s environment didn’t give it a lot of help. In Houston’s blazing 100-plus-degree heat, surrounded by concrete, with pretty much nary a drop of rain over the last month or more – and this little guy was still blooming to beat the band! And therein lies a lesson, don’cha think?

What You Can Learn From a Bunch of Flowers Growing in an Unusual Place

Most of the time, we like to think we have a handle on life, don’t we? I mean, we choose our careers, we choose our spouses, we choose our hobbies and friends – it’s all about bein’ in control of our own lives, right?

But sometimes, life has a way of knockin’ out the props beneath you, and puttin’ you in a situation you have no control over, doesn’t it? (Take, for instance, my recent – and quite sudden – lack of employment. Please!)

So lemme ask ya; what’s the best thing to do? Moan and groan, whine and cry? (That’s only good for maybe… 30 seconds or so. Trust me.) Try to find a way to blame everyone who ever lived? (Funny; folks don’t react too well to that one either! Go figure.) Dig a big, giant hole and crawl in? (Naah; too much work!)

No, the best thing you can do is take a lesson from this little flower, and bloom where you can!

OK, you may be askin’ yourself, So how do I do that? Well, to be honest, I’m afraid if you’re lookin’ for specifics, it’s really for you to figure out for yourself, y’know? But what’cha gotta do, see, is do what you can to be ready for when that opportunity knocks upon your door (sound of knocking).

This little flower is a great example. There’s no better illustration of potential than a seed, is there? Contained within that often tiny little package is everything needed for a brand new plant to spring into being. All it needs is water and energy. So, when that seed found its way into a teeny little crack in the concrete, well, voila! After an appropriate interval, out popped this lovely bouquet! And not only that, but it has continued to grow and prosper!

I mean, think about it. (sound of grinding gears) What we’re really talkin’ about here is possibility, right? What, among the vast universe of possibilities, is truly possible for you to do – with respect to your own abilities, inclinations, skill set or whatever? Surely there’s something? C’mon, open up your mind to the possible, and see where it leads.

All I’m sayin’ is, good things always come to those are willing to do what is necessary, and then… wait. In that order.

Just sayin’.

So What About It?

Are you in the midst of a crisis of possibly epic proportions? OK, maybe it’s not quite so epic… but still. If so, what are you doing about it? Are you at least thinking about other possibilities, perhaps ones you might not ordinarily consider? Tell us about it, won’t you?

C’mon, let’s learn from each other here!

Note: This post is not only part of Joanna’s possibilities theme, but also my entry to our monthly What I Learned From… groupwrite project hosted over at the Middle Zone! The topic this month is PLANTS, and the project is open for entries though Sunday night, August 9, so you’re welcome to join us! Just follow this link to What I Learned From the World of Plants, and read all about it!

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Robert HruzekRobert Hruzek currently lives in Houston, Texas, and is usually employed as an engineering project manager. He has travelled, lived and worked in many locations within the United States and around the world.

Robert writes on the Web at Middle Zone Musings . It’s a comfortable place to have a cup of coffee, swap a few stories and share practical ideas for the real world. He doesn’t ask for much, just a bit of your brain every now and then. Why not drop by, take a load off, and relax for a spell…

If you would like more of the Middle Zone to read at your leisure, buy the book! That’s right, y’all; my first book, Not Exactly your King James Version, is available now! Just follow this link to MZM Books and buy your very own piece of the Middle Zone!

You may contact Robert by email at: rhruzek [at] sbcglobal [dot] net.

Photo credits: My Friend Spiderman by Peter Parker

Bloom Where You Can, by Robert Hruzek

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