Roots before shoots: Let the Chinese bamboo and Mother Nature show us how growth really works.

"Patience is waiting. Not passively waiting. That is laziness. But to keep going when the going is hard and slow—that is patience.

The two most powerful warriors are patience and time."  —Leo Tolstoy

I’ve been knee-deep developing a new fragrance line for Ella Vatoür—one that had already taken more than a year to bring to life. The formulas were still not quite right. The concepts the names, its purpose - all fragmented ideas that were scattered around like a million puzzle pieces.   And the question was loud in my mind: Will this ever come together in the way I imagine it?  

The exhausted emotional state was getting to me.  So I just thought I'd hunt down an anecdote to help navigate my thoughts so I stay in the light through the challenges.

I happened upon the story of the Chinese bamboo tree.

I had never heard of it.
Have you?
Stay with me—because it’s a good reminder.  You may already know this.  But maybe you just need to hear it again.  Right now. 

I know I did, so I am passing it forward. 🙂

Here’s how it goes:
A farmer plants a bamboo shoot.
He/She waters it.
He/She tends the soil.
Month after month—nothing.

Year one: no sprout. No growth.
Year two: still the same size from planting it on day 1.
Year three and four: silence. stillness.

Most people would quit by then.
But in year five, something wild happens.

The bamboo rockets up ninety feet in roughly six months—about the length of six cars parked bumper to bumper.

During those silent years the plant isn’t dormant.
It’s building a root system strong enough to support a sky‑high stalk.
All the work is hidden underground.

It was establishing deep, resilient roots strong enough to hold something tall and lasting.

This story instantly stopped me in my tracks. Because I recognized myself in it.
It mirrored the very season I was in. The quiet, behind-the-scenes work. The blind faith. The daily showing up.
And maybe, you’re in a similar place too.

What Patience Really Means

Patience often gets mistaken for inaction.
But real patience is deliberate.
It’s showing up when no one’s clapping.
It’s doing the small, tedious, quiet tasks again and again—because you believe they matter.
It’s resisting the urge to rush something you want to be lasting.

We live in a world that rewards quickness.
Overnight success. Two-day shipping. Instant visibility.
But real beauty? Real artistry?
That’s never rushed.

Scrolling can easily trick us into thinking we’re falling behind.

We see the highlight reels. The launches. The big leaps.
But we rarely see the four silent years.
We don’t see the artists still in the workshop.
The entrepreneurs still sketching ideas on napkins.
The dreamers still holding the vision in the quiet.

That silence doesn’t mean nothing is happening.
It means the roots are growing.

What This Teaches Us

If you’re building something of your own—whether it’s a business, a dream, a new way of life—remember:
You don’t have to see it yet for it to be working.

Keep watering it.
Keep tending to it.
Hold space for the unseen work.
The beautiful unfolding comes in time—and it’s stronger because of the slow start.

One day, when it all comes together, others may call it “sudden.”
But you’ll know the truth.
You’ll remember the late nights, the long waits, the quiet doubt, the quiet faith.

You’ll remember that slow is not a setback.
It’s a sacred pace.
It’s the rhythm of the things that matter. at the tempo that is just right for you.  

You'll see. 

_______

Building Ella Vatoür, Root by Root

Ella Vatoür is more than a skincare brand. It’s my soul work.
It holds every piece of my journey—the trials, the lessons, the restarts, and the hope that refused to go out.

This isn’t just business for me—it’s personal.
Each scent I’ve developed has taken time.
Some of them I’ve returned to dozens of times—testing, adjusting, walking away, coming back with fresh perspective.
Every formula has been given space to breathe and evolve.
And I’m not just talking about the products.
I’ve sat with every single word, every photograph, every piece of artwork you see. This isn’t something I slapped together—this is something I’ve lived into.

I am still, in many ways, underground. Still building. Still nurturing the foundation to ensure it is solid and strong.
But I see the tiny signs of upward movement—and I feel a deep sense of alignment I’ve never had before.
Your support—whether it’s purchasing a product, sharing a kind word, or simply believing in the intention behind this brand—has kept me steady and inspired.
You might not realize it, but every little bit of encouragement is like water to the roots.

I am grateful to you and the experiences you will have as you continue with me on the journey of creating Ella Vatoür.

Til the next one,
BrookeLynn
Founder, Ella Vatoür