CCE - Center for Coaching Excellence

by Jerome Daley

Last summer, I planted two gardenia bushes beside our back patio. All summer long, they prospered and gave us luscious, fragrant white blooms! It was amazing. When winter came, their leaves turned brown--which didn't surprise me. But when spring came around, and everything else greened up and started to blossom, my poor gardenias remained brown-leaved and, to all appearances, dead!

During March, I figured they were just late. In April, I became concerned. In May, I gave up and told Kellie they were depressing, and I was going to pull them up and throw them away. She kept urging me to give them more time. I had zero faith for them, but I was distracted by other things and gave them a few more weeks.

Just last week, she asked slyly, "Have you looked at the gardenias lately?" I hadn't...and so I did. Tiny green leaf buds were covering every branch! I was astounded.

I found myself asking, what's the message in this? Here’s my reflection: There are things in my life--and probably yours as well--that look dead. A relationship, an opportunity...something you once believed had great potential, but you've lost all hope that it will ever produce anything beautiful again. Well, don't be so sure. Rather than pull it up and throw it out prematurely, give it some time. You just might see a miracle happen!

What looks dead in your life that just might sprout again with fresh hope?