Sometimes objects in my life blend into
the background. People don't. At least I
try not to let them. Objects blend because
I don't put as much value on things as I do
people.
Then again there are the things of life like birds
and trees and flowers. I do place a great deal of
value on them.
But I never really paid much attention to one
particular flower until this year. The tulip.
Yes, they are beautiful. They are one of the
first signs of spring. Still, I can't say that I have
put much effort into to adding them to our garden
simply because they have such a short life span.
They do make great gifts. So, the few we have in
and around our house have come from gifts given to
us or ones I had purchased for my wife.
Like this year.
Because the weather warmed so very early, I was
eager to buy something "spring-like" to begin growing.
I selected a small potted bulb already sprouting
and placed it in a decorated planter and gave it to
Marianne.
In a very short time it began growing. Because it
was truly the first visible sign of spring for me, I
paid more attention to it and I'm glad I did.
Every morning it opened in response to the sun
welcoming all that it had to offer.
Every evening it closed.
This went on without hesitation for days.
Then one day I found it spread wide open fully extended
basking in the sunlight. I had never seen it that way before.
Out of curiosity I touched the flower and two of the petals fell.
I felt terrible. It was then that I realized that the flower had
come to the end of it days.
At least for this year.
That's when I realized how much I had been missing by
not paying more attention to the tulip.
You see, a tulip awakens with expectation each day and opens
in response to all that the day has to offer. It doesn't
choose to stay closed because it doesn't feel like opening,
it's not in the mood, or had a bad day the day before, it
always responds.
It rests at night. It doesn't waste its time looking for something
else to replace the light of day.
When the cycle of its life is over and every bit of all that it could
be and was created to be has been given, it doesn't fall over limp
it spreads wide open as if to say, "Look at me!" "Wow!"
Still, the most amazing part is, it really isn't over yet. When I
would see it as a gone-too-soon dead flower, it was already
planning for a comeback. You see, the remaining leaves
begin storing energy for future growth next year.
When we have down times in our lives after a big event we often times crash and burn, tulips bloom and return.
Although the one on the desk in the window is gone I just
realized that we have a small collection of them just outside
the window which are making a big comeback.
You can bet I am looking forward to seeing them. I need
to work on my "return."
"I wish you enough!"
J
~ Bob Perks ~
Good news - Bob Perks' first book, "I Wish You Enough," Embracing Life's Most Valuable Moments... is now available for ordering. Here's the "Link"
to get your copy of Bob's book:
I Wish You Enough from Amazon.com.
