Waiting

I bought two amaryllis bulbs in late November, planted them, and watered them. Now I am waiting for them to bloom. They began growing ever-so-slowly. And then more quickly. Both of the bulbs have sprouted two buds and a few leaves. The first bud on each plant has shot up and up. And I am

Waiting

for the buds to burst forth into bloom. Yesterday I photographed the buds in all their burgeoning glory. No flowers open yet, so I wait. Soon, soon, my heart sings.

This waiting is a kind of allowing the flowers to unfold in their own way, in their own time. We wish we could control life and make things happen when we want them to happen. Growing plants and flowers teaches me about patience and allowing and accepting what is in this moment.

Allow

There is no controlling life.
Try corralling a lightning bolt,
containing a tornado. Dam a
stream and it will create a new
channel. Resist, and the tide
will sweep you off your feet.
Allow, and grace will carry
you to higher ground. The only
safety lies in letting it all in –
the wild and the weak; fear,
fantasies, failures and success.
When loss rips off the doors of
the heart, or sadness veils your
vision with despair, practice
becomes simply bearing the truth.
In the choice to let go of your
known way of being, the whole
world is revealed to your new eyes.

   — Danna Faulds

All I do is provide the soil and moisture and place the amaryllis bulbs where they will get light. The bulbs know what to do and they will bloom when they are ready, not before.

What are you waiting for? Are there places in your life where you could benefit from letting go a bit and allowing life to unfold in its own way and its own time?

May you walk in beauty.