Flowers brighten our days!

By Carol Meyer

There's nothing like a brightly-colored bouquet of flowers, a blooming hydrangea bush, a 20-foot-high tulip tree that grew from a six-inch seedling, or an eye-catching hanging basket or window box full of vibrant red and white geraniums and other plants to cheer us up during tough times.

In the words of Author Ken Petti, "Every flower blooms in its own time.”  All summer long at different times, our yard has been overflowing with flowering hydrangea, rhododendron, azalea, and rose bushes, along with daffodils, irises, crocuses, and some plants and flowers we can't identify but that add beauty to our surroundings -- each blooming at just the right time year in and year out.

Taking a lesson from nature, the same is true for all of us. Sometimes we make good decisions, while other times we make mistakes. Sometimes we are patient, and other times we react too quickly. Sometimes we are kind, while at other times we are inconsiderate.

That said, we can learn from our mistakes and go higher. We can be kinder, more understanding, and compassionate whenever we choose to express those qualities. Every time we take the high road is another step of progress.

We can take heart from the summer bounty of flowers that surrounds us, whether looking out the window on a beautiful summer's day or enjoying some time in the sun while giving the plants and flowers a good watering.

Let's be patient with ourselves and others as we, too, bloom in our own time.

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