This has been, for many of us,  a rough Winter. As the frigid air makes way for the warmth of Spring, my heart feels as if it is in bloom as well.  Last year, I was delighted to find that Easter Lillies that remained were on sale at a local supermarket for $2.00 per bunch, so I brought home two long stalked green bundles. I deliberately chose those that were completely closed, their colors still hidden inside their folded buds, awaiting blossoming. I placed them carefully in a vase on my dresser and each day, I watched with eager anticipation as one by one, they opened, shyly at first and then with brilliant reds and pinks and yellows cascading outward. One reason I selected closed flowers were so that I could enjoy them longer and so that I could experience some blooming and some letting go over time. After a few days, they blossomed into their full glory and I enjoyed a multi-sensory experience as I noticed that they smelled lovely; their perfume radiating throughout the entire house.

Much of my life seems to be that way these days. There was a time when I would have chosen flowers that were already in full bloom and now, as I age well, I realize that flowers do too. Some of us take longer to reach our full potential. Many in the second portion of our lives, take on new careers and more diverse roles than we would have in earlier decades. I notice that I as I ripen, hidden parts of myself are opening to the sunshine and springing forth. I am becoming much more comfortable with speaking my mind, without fear of what the ‘proprieity police’ might be thinking. My writing has become deeper, richer and fuller. My friendships have become more intimate. I have taken greater risks, doing what I call ‘emotional bungee jumping’, as I put my heart out there. I share from my soul, how I feel about the people in my life, since we never know what each day brings. I dress in more expressive ways, wearing colors and fabrics that speak volumes about who I am and the ways in which I dance with it each day. 

What are some things that you may have put aside until life circumstances changed?  

What have you let go of as the leaves and petals have fallen away to allow new growth to spring forth?

What seeds are you planting now that may yet take time to develop?

How patient are you willing to be while you, the exquisite flower that you are, opens?

What life experiences have ‘fertilized’ your garden?

How do you water and nourish your flowers?