There’s too much red.

Way too much red.

Where are the blue ones?

They should be up by now. .

Why didn’t the blue ones come up?

I wanted everything to come up together.

I really planned it carefully, so they’d be balanced.

Why didn’t the blue ones come up with the rest?

What’s wrong with the blue ones?

They spoiled the picture.

They should be up by now.

There’s too much red.

~*~

Commentary:  One of my greatest teachers said that the source of much of the unhappiness in the world is the word “should.” People think things should be some other way than the way they are, and that makes them unhappy. The road to happiness is in accepting things exactly as they are, and exactly as they are not.  Flowers bloom when they do, not when you think they should.

I was reminded of this by my amaryllis this year. Every Christmas for as many years as I can think of, I have had a big red blooming amaryllis for my dining table. I love the flamboyance of those improbably big trumpets that seem to shout “Look at me! Look at me!” This year it was different .

Granted, I got a later start than usual on potting one up. Matter of fact, I bought the last bulb the store had, and it did seem a little punier than the ones I usually buy.  But still, if it had been a week late I wouldn’t have minded. It’s more about having some color in the house midwinter that I most enjoy. But this year it was different.

December came and went, and half of January before I decided this was just a dud of an amaryllis. “It should have been open by now,” I thought, but it was nowhere close.  It seemed to just be sitting there. So I moved it to a side table, in the corner, and replaced it with a vase of cut tulips. Like I said, I like to have a little color in the house midwinter. But this year it was different.

Then a couple of weeks later I was enjoying a private celebration after working through a challenging situation , making myself a really nice dinner, lighting candles for the table, and savoring a special glass of wine, when I happened to glance over at the corner at the forgotten amaryllis and to my surprise, it had opened a big glorious bloom that day, and had a couple large buds that appeared almost ready. What a wonderful surprise! Wow! Unforgettable. This year WAS different.

And while I’ve already forgotten what I ate for dinner that night, I will never forget how much joy that unexpected flower, blooming on an especially gloomy day, did to bring a little color to my heart in the middle of winter. This year WAS different.

Flowers bloom in their own time. Let them.

Things happen in their own time. Let them.

Be happy.

Love,

David

Photo & text  2010 by David Kinne from “Mysteries / Answers”