People say a weed is a plant growing in the wrong place, no matter what type of plant. If someone doesn’t understand it and honor it, they will dismiss it as invasive or not valuable. Even a healing herb like dandelion will be diligently plucked out of a lawn if its value is not understood. So the difference between being a weed and a healing herb all depends on the environment. I know all this because I’ve been a weed most of my life.
I was seeded and sprouted in a community that included a long-standing family and many extended relatives. It was easy to get along with everyone and I felt I was a valued person and I belonged. Then around five years old, I was transplanted to a place where they didn’t value my type, so I was now a weed.
Being a weed is tough. I remained a weed for many, many years, always trying to fit into my environment and hiding my true identity, so I could blend in among the surrounding flowers. I believed in my talents and abilities, but with no one around to validate them, self-doubt crept in. I remember thinking for years, “Why don’t they like me?”, and at times it would crush me to my core. I wanted to fit in, and they knew it, which made life even harder.
Finally, I landed in a place in life where I no longer cared if I was valued or accepted. I started spending time honing my abilities and adding to my knowledge. I made new friends and spent time in places that gave me joy. I ignored the snide comments and started understanding that: 1) they just didn’t have the capability to value me, and 2) accepting myself was more important than them accepting me.
After many years of living my true self, I now see that I am no longer a weed. I transplanted myself into an environment where I am a valued healing herb, and I’ve spread seeds of my knowledge so others can realize that they aren’t weeds either – they’re just in the wrong environment.
~ Angela Boswell
Absolutely Angela Boswell 