Happy Evidence

Do you remember my little succulents? I love those little terrariums! Originally, they looked like this (from May of last year). Tiny, unassuming little things, no? Barely there, really.

Now, they explode off the kitchen window sill, reaching out their arms with love as I stand there washing dishes. They've become so involved in the life of the kitchen now. They hold their own place in the world.

Slow growth, over an entire year, eventually showcases itself when you compare yourself to what you were this time last year.

When I'm discouraged about my own emotional or spiritual growth, I glance at my succulents that stay steady and slow all year. With imperceptible movements that hardly anyone sees in the meantime, they reach maturity. I think about parenting, fitness, mentoring, and teaching. If I judge it day by day, it feels like failure or stagnation, but if I look over the course of months or years, I finally see it.