Never Give Up!

Today I learned two great lessons about never giving up.  

First, as I was walking around my house, I came  across my tangerine tree that was planted many years ago.  It was planted in the wrong spot and never grew and only ever produced one paltry tangerine.  When I started working several jobs, my watering and plant care became low priority.  I eventually stopped watering this tree because it was not responding.    It hadn't grown or produced fruit for years, but has remained in the same state.   Today I looked at it as I was walking by and to my great astonishment it had four beautiful tangerines growing!   I immediately watered it, feeling very repentant for my lack of care.

 The second  came from a religious leader, and I wasn't able to write the direct quote but said something close to: We make of our future what it needs to be despite our past mistakes.

I sometimes find myself ruminating over mistakes, errors in judgment, things I've said and done that I wish I could take back, people I wish I had done more for, opportunities lost and impulsive decisions made.   However, these errors or omissions are not what has defined me as a person.   Though I have dealt with feelings of sadness, regret, depression and repulsion at my decisions, what has defined me as a person and what kind of character I will have going forward is how I have chosen to deal with it.   

I have had to face the choice of embracing the negative feelings or working towards improving myself and making choices that would help me improve my reactions, feelings, letting go of selfishness and looking at others perspectives and feelings and asking for forgiveness of others and myself.  

I can't take back the years of neglect of my little tree...but I can start today by giving it the care it needs now.  It is never too late to change our path.  It is never too late to gain forgiveness and move forward, it is never too late to give care to those who have been neglected.   Despite our challenges and times of sorrow and disappointment, we get to choose the path we take tomorrow.  My tree chose to stubbornly defy the odds.  I hope all of us will also!   

And now some memes on this topic:  because I care! (And like memes)