A love letter to complexity, humanity, and making things work when the system doesn’t.

Remember that blog about sunflowers — how they instinctively seek light, grow towards warmth, and still bloom even in tricky soil? And before that, the one about jigsaws — where we talked about the beauty (and chaos) of trying to piece things together without always having the full picture?

Well, this is the follow-up — the one where we dig into the reality that some sunflowers are trying to grow in tangled systems with patchy sunlight, poor drainage, and a 20-page form asking them to justify their leaves. Like that half-finished jigsaw we talked about — the picture’s there, but key pieces are missing, and no one gave you the box lid to make sense of it.

Social work is often described as planting seeds of change, nurturing growth, and helping people flourish in difficult conditions. But if social work were a flower, it would undoubtedly be a sunflower—strong, resilient, and always seeking the light.

I’m a little late in sharing this reflection—because life happens, and self-care matters. As social workers, we emphasise the importance of balance, yet we often need reminders to practice what we preach! January was a month of growth, challenges, and meaningful connections, reinforcing why social work is not just a profession but a calling.

As the sun sets on 2024, I find myself reflecting on the incredible journey this year has been for Let's Reseed. Starting a private practice as a social worker felt like planting a seed in unknown soil – equal parts excitement and uncertainty.