The Fern and The Bamboo

I get my fair share of what I consider email "junk". You know what I'm talking about. Animated gifs wishing me a Happy Easter, lists like "Ten ways you know you're a mother", things that need to be snoped for factuality, and chain mails threatening harm to myself or my loved ones if I don't forward them on to at least N people. Actually I don't really get that many, thankfully. However when they do cross my path, I typically delete them sight unseen. (The FWD in the subject line is a dead giveaway.) Very occasionally I'll open one. Today my friend Charla sent me one that I happened to open. I met Charla through the theatre department at my college. She's my age, and like me, has three children. Her email hit home. Sometimes as a 34 year old just finishing my second year of college, I feel really far behind my peers. I occasionally think I'm being silly or frivolous to pursue my degree now. Every so often it's nice to have a friend like Charla who often tells me to not give up on my dreams. Here is the email she forwarded, edited a bit by yours truly.

One day I decided to quit...
I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality... I wanted to quit my life.
I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.

"God", I asked, "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?"
His answer surprised me...
"Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"

"Yes", I replied.
"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them.

I gave them light.

I gave them water.

The fern quickly grew from the earth.

Its brilliant green covered the floor.

Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.
In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful.
And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. He said.
"In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit.
In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would not quit."
He said.
"Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant...But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.
It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive.
I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle."
He asked me. "Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots".

"I would not quit on the bamboo.

I will never quit on you."
"Don't compare yourself to others."

He said.

"The bamboo had a different Purpose than the fern.

Yet they both make the forest beautiful."
"Your time will come", God said to me.

"You will rise high"
"How high should I rise?"

I asked.
"How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.
"As high as it can?" I questioned.
"Yes." He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can."