No. 4 - On growth

'Tis the season of growth. The pussy willows are exploding and soon new bright green baby leaves will appear. The cherry blossoms are blooming (in Victoria at least - if you're still in snow hopefully you can live vicariously through your favourite Victorian's instagram feed). Children are growing 'like weeds'. Bunnies are out doing a little low-height pruning (welcome or not!) and will soon be growing their furry families. We are growing the Island Elixir Tea family and are so grateful to have a blooming season of new experiences.

Serenity

As warmer days approach, the opportunities to experience a little serenity in nature increase. Next time the sun is out, grab a warm cup of tea, a blanket and find a patch of beautiful spring sunshine. Close your eyes and let the sunshine feed your soul.

Perseverance

There is a quote by John C Maxwell, writer and motivational speaker, "Fail early, fail often, but always fail forward." While the tone may strike as negative, the intention is positive. When we accept that we will make missteps in reaching for our potential in any area where we want to grow, and when we learn from those missteps in the way we once did learning to walk or ride a bike, we are persevering. And where we persevere, we eventually find it comes naturally and then not only can we walk but we can run and leap and dance.

Well-being

In tea gardens worldwide, the Camellia sinensis plant is meticulously pruned to remove dead wood, maintain uniform height, and foster new growth. Similarly, we humans often benefit from a bit of pruning ourselves. Pruning a plant can steer growth in a preferred direction; for instance, trimming the top encourages lateral growth, and vice versa. This week, I'm intrigued by the idea of applying this principle to our lives. How might clearing one area facilitate growth in another? Could pruning my calendar create space for rekindling a creative passion previously sidelined by other priorities? Might you engage in a spot of home pruning (aka spring cleaning) to lift the energy in your living space? If there's an area of your life where you aspire to grow, take a moment to reflect on where pruning might be necessary to open up the space and energy for growth in your intended direction. This could even mean literally taking up pruning shears and heading into the garden. I look forward to joining you—those roses are poised for new spring growth!

One more thing...

The rose is a rose,
And was always a rose.
But the theory now goes
That the apple's a rose,
And the pear is, and so's
The plum, I suppose.
The dear only knows
What will next prove a rose.
You, of course, are a rose -
But were always a rose.
- Robert Frost, The Rose Family

Until next time,
Steep Calm.
Bree