One Flower, One Step at a Time
- 23 hours ago
- 3 min read
I’m finding that some things can’t be rushed. I’ve been in my new house for 16 months now, and my first echinacea flower is finally blooming. The other day, I caught a little bumblebee feeding on its nectar. It felt like a big accomplishment, even though it was just one small flower. But then again, how do things grow if not one small step at a time?
I think this analogy holds true for many areas of life, especially health and healing. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by a health condition, particularly when your goal feels far out of reach. The challenge can seem insurmountable, and you may find yourself wondering, What’s the point in doing anything? But the only way to get from one place to another is to take the first step. That first phone call, email, online search, or conversation could make all the difference.
One of my biggest satisfactions in working with clients to help them discover the next step in their health journey, especially if they feel unsure or overwhelmed.
About 20 years ago, I was in synagogue on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur. A visiting rabbi spoke to the congregation about taking one small step in your personal journey toward Judaism. He said, "Think of the smallest thing you can do—something you are 100% sure you can be successful at—and commit to doing it." Then he added, "It doesn't matter what it is or how insignificant you think it is. Take that first step, and you have no idea where it will lead."
I decided to begin by lighting candles on Friday nights. At the time, I wasn't yet observing Shabbat. But I soon found that once I lit the candles, I wanted to be home to enjoy a nice meal, so I began cooking Friday night dinners. Then I decided I wanted to understand the weekly Torah portion, so after dinner I started reading the week's parsha. That led me to become an active participant in the weekly discussions at my synagogue.
Eventually, I felt a desire to visit Israel for the first time. On that trip, I experienced a fully observed Shabbat for the first time and discovered the richness of setting aside an entire day for rest.
Looking back, it would have been impossible to imagine where that one small act of lighting candles would eventually lead me. One simple commitment became the foundation for so many others.
I wonder if there's an area of your life—your health or something else—where you could take one small step today. You don't have to know where it will lead. You only have to take the first step.
About me
My name is Jillian Bar-av and I am a Registered Herbalist and Licensed Nutritionist. I specialize in supporting people who have complex urinary tract conditions, such as Interstitial Cystitis, with a comprehensive holistic approach that helps people to increase their quality of life. I’ve seen how healing herbs can be for the urinary system and how much they can help people to feel well again. Working with herbs is not only deeply healing, but part of my philosophy that it takes healthy people to create a healthy planet, and I want to make a difference for both.
If you are interested in learning about my clinical practice, or scheduling an appointment, you can do that here: https://www.greenspringherbs.com/treatments
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