Is there anything more beautiful than a red rose?
The beauty of flowers never cease to amaze me. They are the epitome of creation, in my humble opinion. They tell me a story of someone who loves another. They tell me that life can be beautiful – that life IS beautiful. They tell me that I should always hope.
Seasons for a Reason
Although I live in a dry climate that has two seasons (warm and hot) I still find it amazing at how the earth knows to cycle from winter to spring to summer and to fall, and then repeat all over again. My seven year old pointed this out to me yesterday. She noticed that last weekend’s rainstorm has produced “green” things all over again. She was asking how it happens. I could only reply, “Well, the earth knows that each new season appears every three months. It just knows to when to lose its leaves and let the living go to sleep for a few months of rest. It knows when to bring itself out of its sleep and start growing again.” She was satisfied with that answer.
For all of the studying I have done in regard to science, I feel so disadvantaged when my little girl can ask philosophical questions about the cycle of life. But, I also know that the simplicity of understanding “how” the world works can ease my limited mind. A child’s mind is so ready to know everything about everything! “Why is the sky blue?” “Why does the grass die in the winter?” “Why does the Sun go from one side to the other everyday?” I love the quizzical innocence, and I want to regain that sense of awe, too.
Why the Birds Sing
Recently, I heard a reason why the birds sing. They sing in the morning because it helps open up the flowers so they can be fed by the bees. Sound ridiculous? Maybe. But, in my mind, whether or not “science” can prove that statement, I am pleased with that answer. Think about it. Why else would the birds sing? Yes, they could be talking to each other. Yes, they could be early risers and just want to belt it out to the natural world that they are alive and well. And, yes, they could be singing to the flowers to wake up, get ready, and be fed. Whatever the reason, I know it is a miracle of life happening on a daily basis that allows these little birds to sing. They don’t ever worry about their lives. They don’t have to pay bills to get warm, or get gas so they can fly; nor do they go the grocery store to be fed. They live without a care in the world. They eat, sing, eat, poop, eat again, and rest.
My Favorite Season
I have to admit that Spring is my favorite season. It is the awesome reminder that life finds a way… after the silence of Winter… and before the full ripening of Summer. It reminds me that I can hope in my future, even when it feels hopeless. Going outside and listening to the singing birds, or watching the new green shoots press their way through last year’s bermuda, I feel a sense of calm and belonging. I wish this period of time could last forever, but I know that I would grow weary if nature was always blooming, but never in full bloom.
The way things are…
Just as seasons are cyclical, I believe that it how all of life on earth is, too. A baby cannot remain small forever. The child must grow into an adult. The adult is here for a long time, but with each orbit around the Sun, time brings the change no one wants to face: a few gray hairs (or loss thereof), a few more wrinkles, and perhaps the fading of beauty on the outside. All while the change appears on the outside, the inside can be renewed. Just like springtime, the spirit of man can go through seasons. There are period of silence, periods of growth, periods of stamina, and periods of loss. If embraced properly, these spiritual seasons can be blessings. So, think of the red rose. Its beauty will fade, and its leaves become humus and nourishment to the ground upon which it sprang. But, given time a new one will spring forth, and be the next reminder of why the birds sing.
Becoming Process Driven 