Bloom Where You Are Planted?

Where did it come from and what does it mean?

It has been attributed to: Old Afghan Proverb, Nancy Reader Comipion's Aunt Grace, Mary Engelbreit, a song, as well as an "old garden saying"

Some have incorporated the phrase into song lyric, such as this Christian hymn:

And she said “BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED
Honey, don’t be thinking that the grass is greener on the other side
Just give those troubles to the Lord, He’ll always understand
And help you turn those broken dreams into your greatest source of pride”

Various bloggers have shared their thoughts about this saying:

- "I took it to mean to be happy no matter where you physically lived."

- "I automatically began to think about how the Bible instructs us to be “fruitful”. I began to think about how God has placed us in the circumstances that we are in for a reason..."

- "I hate that expression. It is for people who are resigned to their fate; for people who think they are stuck where they are and have no feet."

- "You have to be the best that you can be, right where you are. Be grateful for where you live, even if its not where you want to be."

- "I find this phrase the perfect mantra for those who seek accomplishment."

- "I think it means there are certain situations in life that we cannot change - and if we can't change them - we have to make the best of what we have."

Some attribute it to 1 Corinthians 7:20-24:  "Stay where you were when God called your name. Were you a slave? Slavery is no roadblock to obeying and believing."  Others stretch further for a source of this quotations and refer to 1 Thessalonian 5:18 "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."


I think it means a whole lot more and very different things to those of us in the adoption cumminity...

I immediately noctice that it does NOT command anyone to bloom where the are TRANS-planted!

Does this not speak to nourishing one's beginnings, no matter how humble? Nourishing, supporting, honoring your ROOTS? That's what it says to me.


WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU?