Thursday; February 8

The other day I was walking into my office and I happened to look down into the flower bed and saw a flower staring back at me.  I am sure I had walked by it every day for the last several months, but for some reason, on that day, I noticed it.  It was tucked away in the corner of the plot, but there it was looking incredibly beautiful on a cool, dreary day. 
As I thought about this flower a couple of things came to mind:
My first thought was the commitment it took for that flower to still be so beautiful.  We have had snow, wind, ice and single digit temperatures, but it never lost its bloom.  It had endured the all the difficulties of the season to bring a bit of joy to all who saw it.  When we face the struggles of life do we do so in such a way that people are inspired by our beauty and strength?  Are we strong enough to outlast the “momentary afflictions” so that our beauty can be seen after the storms have come and gone? 
The second observation was the disappointment in myself that I hadn’t noticed the flower before I did.  The other flowers in the bed were gone, but this one was there to welcome me and brighten my day – and I missed it.  Do we notice the positive, supportive people who are there for us each and every day?  It is easy to feel discouraged when people let us down, but we must be willing to appreciate the positive people who try to brighten our day.
Are there flowers in our flower beds?  Maybe today would be a good day to begin looking for them – and appreciating them for what they can teach us about life.
Think About It!

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