©One of the things that most attracted me to the home I just purchased was the yards. The front yard has a porch—something I’ve longed for since moving from my childhood home. When I was growing up I spent countless hours sitting on that old front porch and I always told myself that one day, I’d have one of my own. Now I do.

The backyard is cool too with a nice patio area and an incredible view. But what really sold me on the backyard was the landscaping which includes two rows of rose bushes surrounding the perimeter of the yard. I loved how those rose bushes sat—they took me back. When my mother was alive she had some in our front yard and I remember how big, bold and beautiful they were and how they breathed so much life into our lives. I wanted that for this new space.

I first saw the house in January but by the time I settled on it was Spring—and those rose bushes were in full bloom. Well, a funny thing happened between the time I made my offer and closed on the house…the owner stopped watering the yards. In this Texas heat, especially on this current stretch of 100-degree temperatures, not a good idea.

The owner stopped watering the yards and whereas the yards were once lush and green…they now stood as dry and yellow. The trees that rose up to greet me that first time I came over were begging for water; so too were the hedges. And those rose bushes…not a bloom in sight.

No worries I thought, I’ve got just the solution; my yard guy. I called him, told him I had a new address and needed him to come by and, “do his thing”. I wasn’t home when he arrived, but I sent him a text to cut the grass, edge of course, trim the hedges and pull up those dead rose bushes in the back.

Upon my return I noticed that he had done an incredible job of mowing, edging and trimming—but he forgot to pull up those dead rose bushes. Confused I called and asked why—why didn’t he finish that part of the task that I was paying for?

“I didn’t see any dead rose bushes back there man” he said …to which I responded, “The only rose bushes back there are the dead ones” …And this is where the conversation became interesting. He explained to me that the most resilient and strongest plants in the world…are flowers. They look brown and dead on the outside he said but, on the inside, they’re still very much alive…He ended the conversation with a hearty laugh saying, “I didn’t see no dead rose bushes Lynn…I just saw flowers that need some watering” …

Over the course of the next week, I made it my business to water the yards, but I gave those rose bushes extra attention. Early in the morning and late at night while I unpacked and staged the house, that water was going. The first few days I saw nothing…and then one morning as I was leaving I came out to turn the water off—and what do you know…I saw a flash of color…those rose bushes that I was ready to pull up and leave for dead, had once again begun to bloom. My yard guy was right…

All they needed was some watering.

***

If you look in the mirror, you might see a dry plant with thorns, withered from that stretch of life that we all go through at some point where nothing seems to be going our way. Keep looking. Some, yourself included, have left that plant you see for dead—ready to pull it up and discard it. On the outside, things look bad but, on the inside, you’re still very much alive…all you need is some water.

So, this week, water yourself with…

I can.
I will.
I’m stronger than this.
I’m confident.
I’m a finisher.
I’ll find a way.
I’m a winner…and I refuse to settle.

Start doing that daily, morning, noon, night, and all throughout the day. Then step back in front of that mirror. You’ll notice flashes of color. You’ll see flashes of color and more with each passing day. From this point forward whenever you see a broken, dry, withered and worn bush staring at you…understand that there’s a beautiful flower, full of life…waiting to bloom.

All it needs…is some watering…