I’m writing this while looking out my back window, and I can see that there are blossoms on the apricot tree in the back yard. Though the signs of spring have been whispering themselves to us for a couple of weeks now, seeing these flowers causes me to realize that it has really happened: even after such a difficult year, the cycle of emerging life begins yet again.
The theme of this month, “Prosper,” is one that seems a bit challenging to grapple with after a year of so much loss and sudden change. But it’s an excellent challenge in some ways: loss and change can push us toward the heart of what really matters. In the process of preserving what matters most, however, we must find patience for ourselves and each other.
In her book of essays titled “Anything We Love Can Be Saved,” Alice Walker talks about the tendency to berate ourselves for the insufficiency of our individual actions. In a world that seems to be tearing itself apart, how could we possibly hope to create peace, prosperity and well-being? Walker’s beautiful words encourage us to show up for our part in things:
“…For we can do nothing substantial toward changing our course on the planet, a destructive one, without rousing ourselves, individual by individual, and bringing our small, imperfect stones to the pile.”
I am reminded when I read this of the stones I lifted from the soil, clearing space for the roots of the apricot tree that now blooms. For years it had not grown fruit, and we wondered whether it was worth keeping. But I couldn’t stand the idea of killing that tree. We decided instead to nourish her as often as we could, even if our skills were inexpert and not always consistent. It looks now like that effort mattered, and we have a chance to see what will come of it.
This is what prosperity grows from: patience and persistence. A willingness to put effort into a process of growing, even if it might be months before we can see the fruits of that effort. Prosperity does not mean a doubtless certainty that everything will be fine–we’ve seen too much for that. But it might mean giving our hearts to the preservation of things that matter, keeping those wheels turning even if the turning is slow and the movement forward undetectable at times.
That we are all still here and capable of growing is a gift. This month we encourage you to consider what is most important in your life, and to bring your “small, imperfect stones to the pile” as often as you can. That’s where prosperity grows from: in loving something enough to keep feeding it. None of us know what the fruition will look like right now, and the finish line may be very far away. That’s okay. Keep going. Keep going. A new season is here to cheer you on.
