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Last year, when things turned grey, my friend, Becca, gave me a miniature gerber daisy in a tiny pink pot. I love daisies. They are my favorite. This one gave me much hope. It kept blooming -- over and over. It promised hope.
I kept it alive through the summer. Then something, probably a chipmunk, snagged it off my front porch.
A few weeks ago, Sam and I came across miniature cacti in a store. They were lined up in tiny pots. No two were the same. "We should get one for the window sill and for Becca," he said.
"I was thinking the same thing," I said.
Sam picked out one with a bright pink bloom. "This one is perfect for Becca," he said. I agreed.
We picked a plain one for our kitchen window. I wondered if it would be hardy enough for my house.
I dropped it while carrying it inside. It survives.
I don't know how much to water it. It survives.
Jordan knocked it over with a renegade fork while doing dishes. It survives.I realized I might be in a season of cacti living. Hard and hardy. Survival and vitality. Prickly and steadfast.
Then I noticed brown spots, and I wondered if maybe it wasn't surviving. I kept an eye on it and the spots became lumps. I wondered if it contracted a disease. The bumps grew, and I thought maybe it was a fungus.
I figured the cactus would bite the dust at any moment.
Then the lumps grew a little more. I realized they are buds. I think my cactus might be growing blooms.
Isn't this just how life goes? Just when we think we've come to the end, there's a bud and hope that things will soon bloom. And when that happens, I hope it is better than I could even imagine.
I love that those "bumps" are "buds", Ruth. This is the best story.I really think you and Sam might turn it into a picture book. Happy Saturday!
ReplyDeleteA picture book! I didn't think of that...thanks for helping my writing thoughts spiral out of control!
DeleteRuth, I've enjoyed reading this post. The entire way through I was nodding my head in agreement. I always admire how you turn your bumps into buds. ~Amy
ReplyDeleteThanks Amy! I've been letting this brew for a few weeks and I"m glad it makes sense.
DeleteI can relate to this post so well. I am terrible at growing things. I have tried over and over. I recently bought a succulent at a craft fair. The seller told me that it does best when ignored. I hope so because I'm really good at that. Maybe my succulent will become fodder for a metaphor some day.
ReplyDeleteI have a real "black" thumb when it comes to growing things! It's why the daisy was such a miracle for so many months. This new guy -- the cactus -- is fodder for a book about living. Thanks for affirming this post. ;)
DeleteYour thumb is no longer black, getting a cactus to bloom is proof of that. Just like other areas of your life, blooming is happening, maybe it's slow, but there is life and love which nurtures the blossoms. Your words have brought many into the writing world.
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ReplyDeleteI dropped it while carrying it inside. It survives.
I don't know how much to water it. It survives.
Jordan knocked it over with a renegade fork while doing dishes. It survives.
Those lines. Real life.
What a metaphor. What survives and blooms are not always what we expect.
ReplyDeleteThis is the perfect metaphor! Wishing you many more bumps that turn into beautiful blooms, Ruth.
ReplyDeleteJen
This is great! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThis is a beautiful parable Ruth - life blooms, even when we least expect it, if we keep the faith.
ReplyDeleteRuth, after listening to a special homily with a message, I opened your piece and realized that I am double blessed with wisdom this day. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteLove this.
ReplyDeleteI think there might be something to the way a cactus stores up nourishment to ensure its survival in the rough times. You are filled with goodness, like a cactus!
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