Nature can teach us a thing or two about grace and adaptability. At least my little volunteer tomato plant has much to say on the subject.

I am certain that tomato plant would have been quite happy to thrive, unnoticed among the weeds on the rocky slope in my back yard. But, of course, we wouldn’t have that! Ripping it from its cozy hillside, roots dangling proves the point that humans have a need to control the wild greenness around us. In truth, we humans like to control everything. But audacious nature is determined to thrive no matter what life throws at it. And that gives me hope.

Give a plant a bit of soil (even if it is confined to a paint bucket), water (this, of course is a deal breaker as any fledgling gardener is aware), a position where the sun can warm it, and a little structure so it doesn’t lose its balance when it bears fruit (because that, after all, is what plants are born to do), and even a wilted, transplanted tomato plant can and will thrive!

People are a lot like volunteer tomato plants. At times we may find ourselves uprooted from the original course we had planned, with no semblance of control, roots dangling, exposed. Sometimes all we need is a soft fertile spot to settle, to establish roots, a bit of nurturing, a touch of structure to ground and balance us. Given a few simple things it is possible, inevitable even, that we can thrive and even bear fruit doing whatever it is we were born to do and be.

And I know this because sometimes nature grabs me between the ears to remind me. I need to be reminded. Especially those times when I find that I am not as in charge as I think I am. Yes! There is hope for me no matter the circumstances of my scuttled plans because a limp, uprooted, audacious tomato plant told me so!