Berries and seeds are tiny symbols of hope and possibility - don't you think? I love that something so small can be so mighty. From a tiny little seed a whole new plant can come to be - nature’s everyday magic.

From the tiniest acorn grows a mighty oak.

Only it doesn’t have to.

Not every acorn will become a tree. We do not judge those acorns that don't end up transforming themselves.

We see their fascinating shapes and textures and delight in their current stage. They are valuable just as they are, right now.

We don't see their worth as conditional on what they might become.

““When we plant a rose seed in the earth, we notice that it is small, but we do not criticize it as “rootless and stemless.” We treat it as a seed, giving it the water and nourishment required of a seed. When it first shoots up out of the earth, we don’t condemn it as immature and underdeveloped; nor do we criticize the buds for not being open when they appear. We stand in wonder at the process taking place and give the plant the care it needs at each stage of its development. The rose is a rose from the time it is a seed to the time it dies. Within it, at all times, it contains its whole potential. It seems to be constantly in the process of change; yet at each state, at each moment, it is perfectly all right as it is.”
”

— W. Timothy Gallwey, The Inner Game of Tennis: The Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance

Those little seeds and berries remind me of all the ideas we have and the projects we begin. A new idea is exciting - as plump and juicy and wonderful as a berry. So is every book we add to our reading lists and every online course we begin.

Psst… if you happen to be on the lookout for an online watercolour course, this link is for you. 😉

(Yes I am an enabler!)

But just like those seeds, not every idea will manifest its largest form. We enjoy an abundance of new books and courses, ideas and projects - more of these are available than we have the resources for. That’s okay. Nature shows us that this is simply the natural way of things.

There is value in beginnings: the burst of enthusiasm, the creative zeal that sparks us into action. The joy of possibility is enough.

Some of our ideas and projects will see completion. It’s okay that we probably don't know which ones they are at the outset.

Many seeds fall from the tree. Only the passing of time and allowing events to unfold can determine which ones will will flourish. And since we don't know which ones will flourish we need them all.

Unfinished projects, or forgotten ideas are not wasted, they are a part of the process. They all have a role - it just might not be the one you expected. Some are stepping stones, some are just practice. Some are for exploration and help you find your way by a process of elimination.

Revel in the abundance of all your beginnings. Please don't berate yourself for the ones that didn't appear to go anywhere.

Let them go in the knowledge that they are enough just as they are.