Coming Alive After Heartbreak

When our heart gets broken, it turns our lives upside down. Sadly, that’s not an exaggerated statement either. Everything that we had known in our life, about our life, is sent into a spin.

We might ‘not even know which way is up’ to pull from a well-known phrase. As we’ve discussed on this blog already, as you’re working through loss, you experience a bunch of different emotions—and most of the time they don’t hit you one at a time. It would be wonderful if they did, but usually they come together in a compact ball.

It can be hard to sort out exactly how you are feeling. Just remember your feelings don’t define you. (Refer to the article, “Who Am I?”)

Still, you will experience depression and the thoughts that you’ll never be happy again. Remember these are lies you are telling yourself. You are giving power to other people, whether they know it or not. (Refer to the article “You Deserve to Be Happy”)

In truth, this specific post was inspired when I looked at two plants I have. Here’s why. One, I’m not the best gardener unless the plants are outside in the summer. Then I find solace in watering them and appreciating their beauty. But for some reason when a couple come inside for the winter months, I forget to water them. I don’t give them much thought. (Yes, I wouldn’t hire me to be your gardener.)

Anyhow, this year my husband and I had two to bring in—a banana tree and a…its name is escaping me but the flowers are absolutely beautiful! (see the picture at the top of this post). I got on things before the frost and sprayed them to kill mites (something I know you have to do before bringing plants in from outside). Well, I got preoccupied. My plans to bring them in later that day…well, it didn’t happen. I remembered them two days later, and sadly in that time span we had frost.

My banana tree had withered up and my other plant had seen much better days. I still brought them into the house. I was determined to resurrect them! Well, days passed and I was starting to really think they weren’t coming back to life.

Surprise!

Life has a mind of its own.

The banana tree had grown a brand new leaf with another starting in its middle! If you don’t know banana trees, they grow like crazy. As one leaf comes up and unfolds, the next is curled up inside and ready.

My other plant which (I bow my head here in shame) lost all of its leaves, had green buds on the branches. Now it has leaves and it’s still growing strong.

So how does this help with our healing journey? Remember even though you might feel dead inside some days, low, depressed, and don’t hold out much hope for the future, you can turn things around! Be determined to thrive again, like my plants, and live!