Creating Your Own Garden

This was written by a friend, R.P. Thank you for emailing it to me and giving me permission to post it here for everyone to read and gain from!

Life is full of challenges. We are constantly faced with tests that come in all different shapes and sizes.

The point of these challenges are to bring out our innermost potential of who we really are, who we can become and it's there for us to really become closer to Hashem.

However, It's up to us on how we'll face it.

How does a flower become a flower? It doesn't just come- You have to go out, plant a seed in the garden, water it every day, be on top of it, and slowly, each petal starts opening up until one day you see that a beautiful fresh flower blossomed!

So too, every nisayon we go through is like it's own flower. When we are put into a test, it didn't just come to you, Hashem planted this seed in front of you, and now it's up to you! It's in your hands how you'll choose to respond to it!

Now, when you go through this test, every action you take, every move you make, every positive thought you think, every step you are taking is making this seed start to grow. It's opening up petal after petal. And while your going through it, you are not alone. Hashem is watering it and helping you go through it. Until one day, all of the sudden, you overcame this test and the flower grew and blossomed into a beautiful flower. All of the sudden you grew and became a better person. Not just a better person but a different person. Now, your inner potential became YOU! IT BECAME A PART OF YOU! It's not hiding anymore inside of you. It's YOU!!!

So every test you pass is like another flower that just blossomed. And one day, you'll look back and what will you see? You'll see a gorgeous garden in front of your eyes! You'll see flowers and trees and grass and lilies and roses and dandelions and daisies. You'll see all different types of flowers. And what is it? Sometimes, you were faced with big tests, and that's why there are trees. Sometimes you were faced with small tests, like everyday challenges, so the grass grew. Sometimes there were medium sized tests, so the flowers, lilies, dandelions, roses and daisies grew. And you'll say- What? You mean me? I created this garden myself?

And one day, you'll be able to see the real garden you created. It's called Gan Eden. It will be a garden full of pleasure. Not just pleasure, but REAL pleasure! A pleasure that's everlasting!!! It's the best pleasure that there ever is. Every second of this pleasure is better than all the pleasures in the world from the beginning of creation until now. It's better than all the pleasures that all the people in the world put together ever had! You might have gone through pain and suffering, but look at your reward!!! Look what Hashem wanted to give you! He wanted to give you the best pleasure that there ever can be! That pleasure is being SO close to him. You'll feel Hashems shechina right on you!!! You'll feel so connected to Hashem, you won't want anything else in the world besides that!!!!

So, Please use every challenge for growth! Make that flower! Make that tree! Make that garden! And make every challenge meaningful! Don't ignore it! Please! Don't let any flower wilt! Don't let it slip by!

And remember- Whenever you go through any test, every second is precious. It's a time where you have the ability to express your real emunah. Your emunah becomes REAL. It's a time where you can reach a point in emunah that you won't reach without these tests. Treasure each moment. We don't ask for tests but once you get them, realize what you can make out of it!!! Realize how much you can grow and who you can become!!! It's ALL up to you. No-one else. Because Hashem gave you these unique nisyonos that only YOU can handle. Even if it seems impossible. Hashem knows what he's doing! He knows you can pass it. If you would not be able to, Hashem wouldn't give it to you. And Remember- Hashem gives you these tests because he loves you and only wants to give you the best that there EVER is!!!!