I love flowers and plants. To date, I
have 40 houseplants that are lifting my spirits through the winter, and I am
already planning the flowerbeds that will need tending throughout the spring,
summer, and fall.
This past Saturday Russ and I ventured
up to the Vermont Flower Show in Essex Junction to jumpstart our need for floral
beauty. Daffodils, tulips, primrose, rhododendrons, Irish moss, hyacinths,
English daisies, lilies, miniature iris, and candytufts were some of the
varieties displayed. Ten thousand square
feet showcased them in various colors and hues; they numbered in the thousands. It was a feast for the eyes, the nose, and
the soul.
As I gazed on all that beauty I
reflected on the short duration of blooming time that each flower
possesses. I have managed to plant my
yard so that from the time the first crocus appears, I have a variety of
perennials flowering in my yard until frost.
Some blooms endure for a day, others for possibly one or two
weeks, and a few for a month. But they
have their seasons, appear for a time, and slowly fade away. Though the blooming time is brief, I
anticipate and cherish those moments.
Life is filled with seasons that are not exclusively spring,
summer, fall, and winter. In my own life
I feel as if I have experienced very different periods of time. From childhood to teen, from single to
married with children, and now with all of them grown my life has known many
phases.
I have been a child, a
sister, a teenager, an aunt, a student, an employee, a friend, a wife, a
mother, a teacher, a counselor, a grandparent.
And I have been formed and shaped by living in these callings. I wish
that I could state that I have lived without any mistakes or errors. I have had plenty and I have tried my best to
restore those things that have been damaged, to let go of those things beyond
my control, and to live in the present day.
This day won’t return again.
The book of Ecclesiastes has a list of seasons and times and I’ll
name a few: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to weep and a time to
laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to lose and a time to keep,
a time to keep silence and a time to speak. (The complete list is in chapter 3
of Ecclesiastes.)
Perhaps someone you know has just given birth. What a joyous time this is filled with
laughter and hope. Embrace these
wondrous years of baby and toddlerhood when every day is one of discovery, new
expressions, and the words ‘no’ and ‘why’.
This time passes so quickly.
You may be in a time of loss - the loss of a friendship, a
career, a spouse, your health. So many
emotions occur. You may feel
disoriented, alone, mournful, or unable to express what is happening to you.
My friend, Mel, lost
her husband to a massive heart attack when he was just 34 after only 4 months
of marriage. In her profound grief she
was counseled to do something for someone else every day. At first it was just a kind word spoken in a
check-out line, later she sent cards to shut-ins, as time passed dinner
invitations followed to neighbors, and bit by bit she came through more loving
and kind than when she began her journey in grieving.
After the flower show, we visited a dear friend who is
engaged in a battle against cancer that gave little until Rachel could not get
out of bed one morning. She has already endured
the fusing of her spine; radiation is to follow, and more surgery is expected.
The road ahead appears
to be full of obstacles, yet she is hopeful and gladdened by her family uniting
together to uphold her and each other. In this season she is blooming and
showing her true colors. Her love is a
beautiful fragrance.
Someday we all come to the inevitable truth of the end of our
days here on earth. Not unlike the
flowers our appearance is for a brief time. We will face rocky soil, inclement
weather, choking weeds, and dry spells. Our
response to life will determine how our flowering will affect those around
us. It’s been said before – “Bloom where
you are planted.” This season will pass.
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