Dear Reader,

Marcie Gourley is a licensed professional counselor, speaker, and writer with a passion for helping people find hope, resilience, and meaning in everyday life. She is the author of ‘250 Great Things About America,’ a collection of inspiring stories, places, people, and ideas that have helped shape the American experience. Through her writing, podcasting, and counseling work, Marcie explores the connections between history, emotional well-being, faith, and the
stories that unite us. She and her husband live in Pennsylvania and have five adult children. Marcie enjoys exploring historical sites, reading, and spending time outdoors.

In time for our nation’s 250th birthday, Marcie is giving away three copies of her new book,’250 Great Things About America.’ To enter the drawing, send her an email and welcome her to the book club: marciegourley27@gmail.com

Welcome to the book club Marcie…

The Quiet Work of Blooming

A few weeks ago, I found myself in a cemetery with a shovel in my hand.

That probably sounds more dramatic than it was.

I had gone to visit my grandparents’ graves. The rhododendrons surrounding the cemetery were in full bloom, bursting with shades of pink and crimson. They were breathtaking, yet one particular task needed attention. As I cleared away weeds and prepared the area for new flowers, I noticed a wayward shoot growing where it didn’t belong.

It had sprung up from one of the large rhododendrons nearby. Left alone, it would eventually interfere with the space I was trying to care for, maybe even push against the stone eventually, so I dug it up.

The little shoot looked insignificant. A few leaves. A small root. Nothing about it suggested a future. For reasons I still can’t fully explain, I decided to take it home instead of tossing it aside.

I planted it in a pot and gave it some water. Then I waited. A few weeks later, I realized it had survived. Even more surprising, it had begun to grow. What I first viewed as something misplaced and expendable had quietly taken root.

The experience stayed with me.

Life seems to work that way sometimes. We often assume growth happens in grand, obvious ways. We look for major achievements, dramatic turning points, and clear signs of progress. Yet some of the most meaningful things begin as small, overlooked shoots. A friendship. A habit. A word of encouragement. A simple act of kindness. An interest that slowly becomes a passion. At first, they appear fragile: easy to dismiss, easy to overlook.

Then time passes.

Roots deepen.

Growth begins.

One day we look back and realize something beautiful emerged from circumstances that once seemed ordinary.

As I stood among those blooming rhododendrons, surrounded by reminders of lives that had come before mine, I found myself thinking about the ways people leave pieces of themselves behind. Sometimes it happens through stories. Sometimes through values. Sometimes through love that continues to shape a family long after someone is gone.

And sometimes, apparently, through a stubborn little shoot that refuses to quit growing.

That small plant now sits in my yard, quietly carrying a connection to a place and people I cherish. Every time I see it, I’m reminded of something simple: life has a remarkable way of continuing and an unexplainable resilience that inspires, often in places we least expect.

— Marcie Gourley

Marcie is giving away three copies of her new book,’250 Great Things About America.’ To enter the drawing, send her an email and welcome her to the book club: marciegourley27@gmail.com

Thanks for reading with me. It’s so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com