Bonsai!!

07.07.2023 For the past several weeks I have been looking into the art of bonsai as a part of a broader business plan I am working on. I can't help but see it as a profound metaphor for recovery journey. Each delicate tree represents not only nature's beauty but also the resilience and transformative power within me. In the world of bonsai, shaping and balance are paramount. Artists carefully prune, wire, and train the tree to create a harmonious form. Similarly, in my recovery, I must confront and reshape the aspects of my life that no longer serve me. It's a process of letting go—letting go of destructive habits, negative people, thoughts, and unhealthy patterns. Just like the branches and foliage cut away from the bonsai tree, I must shed the unnecessary baggage that holds me back. But recovery is not a quick fix; it's a patient and ongoing endeavor. Bonsai teaches the value of perseverance. It takes years for a bonsai tree to mature and reveal its true beauty, and so it is with my recovery. I must be patient with myself, understanding that healing takes time. I take small, consistent steps each day, nurturing my physical, mental, and emotional well-being, just as a bonsai artist tends to their tree. Choosing the right pot for a bonsai tree is essential—it provides the foundation for growth. Likewise, in my recovery, I need a supportive environment and the right people around me. They are the pots that nurture and support my journey. With their understanding and encouragement, I gain the strength to keep moving forward. Bonsai also reminds me of the importance of adaptability and resilience. Trees in the wild face countless challenges, just as I do in my recovery. Yet, like a bonsai tree, I learn to adapt, adjust, and keep growing despite the obstacles. I find the strength within me to face unexpected changes, setbacks, and hardships. The art of bonsai teaches me that resilience is not just about surviving but thriving in the face of adversity. In bonsai, I find beauty in imperfection. The gnarled trunks, asymmetrical branches, and uneven foliage are all celebrated in their unique way—a concept known as "wabi-sabi." And so it is with my recovery. I learn to embrace my imperfections, scars, and mistakes. They are part of my journey, reminders of my strength and growth – of my imperfection. I find beauty in the imperfect pieces that make up the mosaic of my life. As I continue to explore bonsai, I am reminded that I, too, am a work of art in progress. Through shaping and balance, patience and perseverance, adaptation and resilience, and finding beauty in imperfection, I am transforming myself into something uniquely beautiful. It’s been a really rough few days. I am experiencing pain in my right shoulder that has worsened and moved into the center of my back if I move wrong. It causes me to be irritable. This irritability is not doing anybody any good. All it does is make a stressful season even more unpleasant. I wear my emotions and feelings on my sleeve sometimes and I need to prune, wire, and train myself to accept things the way they are and try hard to maintain positivity. Please remember me in your thoughts. Stay tuned! Love you all.