Last week as I was walking to my driveway gate, I noticed a small grouping of pencil-thin stalks popping out of the ground. I knew exactly what they were, and seeing them brought a smile to my face.
One of the very first bulbs to bloom in my area, the dwarf iris Katherine Hodgkins seem to come out of nowhere, quickly bloom, and then, just as quickly fade away.
When I went to work that morning, I stopped by the office of one of my co-workers. Several years ago, as she was just moving into her new home, I gave her some of these bulbs to plant in her yard. I wanted to know if they were coming up yet at her place. Nope, there was no sign of them yet.
By the time I asked her yesterday, her’s were up and blooming too. We laughed at the notion that, if someone overheard our conversation, they would think we were talking about a long-lost friend named Katherine, instead of a bunch of flower bulbs. 🙂
In some sense, though, they would have been right. When we see these little delights come out of the ground each year, naturally multiplying as the years go by, we greet them as if they really were personal friends, gone for a while, but now returned to re-connect and bring some much-needed pleasure to our lives.
I know we are all stressed in one way or another. As we move towards spring, now only a few weeks away, take some time to savor the new life emerging all around us. Whether it be bulbs, bushes, or trees, look around, eyes wide open. We have survived another winter, and now it’s time to enjoy life a bit.
I don’t know about you, but it’s been a long winter for me, in ways that have nothing to do with nature. I’m ready to get out and enjoy the upcoming season, revitalized and strengthened, trusting that God is in control.
