As I was pulling in my driveway returning home from the gym, a bright flash of the color purple entered my vision.

Upon further inspection, I discovered a small sprawling petunia plant growing under the stairs to my deck.

Two things are very unusual about this:

first, flower’s don’t usually grow under my deck. It’s just pea gravel with a few weeds that pop up from time to time.

And second, it’s November, in West Virginia.

This plant seemed oblivious to both.

It’s blooming has allowed a major life lesson to blossom inside of me.

“Bloom where you are planted and when its your perfect time.”

This plant bloomed in sand and gravel and under a set of steps not in a fancy patio planter or beautiful garden.

It had no control over where it was planted or under what circumstances.

It’s only job was to bloom and that’s exactly what it did.

And what is even cooler, is that it didn’t get anxious or stressed because of where it bloomed or that it bloomed much later than the rest of the flowers.

But guess what?

This late bloomer has become more rare and unique for just those reasons.

It is getting more attention, appreciation and love than it would have, had it blended in with all the other flowers of spring and summer.

As I sit here at age 57, many times impatient with the time it is taking me to realize my potential, frustrated with a chaotic schedule, aggravated that I don’t have more hours in the day, anxious and stressed about missing deadlines and falling short of goals, I think of this flower and decide my only job is to BLOOM where I’m planted and let God decide my perfect timing. And when that happens, it will be rare and unique and wonderful.

Sherrie Dunlevy is an author, speaker and Inspirationista. For more information, to order her best selling book“How Can I Help?” or to hire Sherrie to speak at your conference, workshop or special event go to www.SherrieDunlevy.com or contact her at SherrieDunlevy@gmail.com