The Amaryllis - a story of growth and transformation
As a creative counsellor, I believe in the power of metaphor to illuminate the human experience. An amaryllis bulb - neglected yet determined to grow - taught me about resilience, healing, and the potential for transformation, even from the most difficult of starts in life.
What follows is a true story.
The Neglected Bulb
Every year, in the run-up to Christmas, I buy an amaryllis bulb. You’ve probably seen them - large, grapefruit-sized bulbs boxed up with a pot and a bag of compost, ready to be planted.
One particular year, I bought my usual bulb but kept putting off planting it. I told myself I’d do it “tomorrow” or “at the weekend,” but that day never came. The bulb sat in its box, waiting, forgotten.
Yet life has a way of pushing forward, even in the most limiting conditions. When I finally opened the box, I discovered that despite the darkness, lack of soil and water - the bulb had shot out several inches of stem.
But the growth was distorted. The stem that had emerged in the confined space was twisted to the shape of the box, pale and fragile from the absence of light.
I felt terrible for neglecting it.
Planting and Recovery
Perhaps some would have discarded such a deformed bulb, assuming it was beyond saving. But I felt compelled to give it a chance.
I planted it carefully, nestling its roots into the compost, watering it gently, and placing it on my sunny windowsill.
To my astonishment, within days, the stem began to turn green. It straightened, slowly but surely, as it reached toward the light.
Over the following weeks, it continued to grow, forming a plump bud at its tip.
Transformation and Blooming
Then, one day, the bud burst open into the most glorious flower: radiant, full of life.
Looking at it, you would never have known how it had started.
Despite its difficult beginning, despite the unnatural twists forced upon it by its circumstances, the amaryllis had found a way to express its true potential.
A Reflection on Human Growth
This story is more than a tale about a plant. We too are part of the natural world: we are biological beings with an inner drive to seek wholeness. There is hope.
Many of us grow in difficult conditions, adapting ourselves to survive.
Sometimes, we become shaped by externally imposed limitations which force us into unnatural forms. These could difficult life circumstances or perhaps the expectations placed on us by parents or society.
Yet, like the amaryllis in this tale, given the right conditions for growth, we too have the capacity to reorient ourselves, to grow and to thrive.
If this story resonates with you, I offer creative approaches to counselling which may help you re-story your own life and restore your capacity for living to your fullest potential. How would you like the next chapter of your life to be written?
