Lucille's

LATE BLOOMER  

            This is a pic of my never-blooming hydrangea which has finally decided to exert a bit of effort and pop out this delicate mauve bloom. There is also another bud….but that’s it…..thousands of leaves though. I am excited but wondering why it took so long. It was nurtured, fed, watered, properly pruned but obviously had a mind of its own.

            Maybe you know somebody like that….all the reasons in the world why they should blossom, but for some reason they don’t. They may have enjoyed a wonderful childhood, had a life of ease perhaps, were shown love, yet somehow just never found their place in life.

            Often, people have developed an incorrect view of themselves. Maybe they have compared themselves with someone who has unusually astounding talents or abilities and they have measured their worth against that unfair advantage. Perhaps they have been found wanting in a particular area and been criticized openly. A physical condition or anomaly may have prevented them from feeling safe enough to spread their wings.

            It is sad to see people not reach their full God-given potential. Often it takes only a kind word, a smile, a genuine interest to change the course of a life. I’m sure we all know of someone whose life direction was altered by the attention of a teacher, or aunt or coach who saw beyond the awkward or introverted or angry to the beautiful soul hiding inside.

           Years ago when I was eleven or twelve, a pastor’s wife, Mrs.Tattrie took my sister Judy and I under her ample wing. She often invited us for Sunday dinner and afterwards let us play with her marvellous salt and pepper collection. 

            There was a little toaster that popped out brown and white bread and a washing machine whose wringers held the salt and pepper. We loved being there because she made us feel important and special enough to touch her things. She taught us to sing harmony and impressed on us a reverence of God’s word. Her efforts made us feel valued.

           I have in recent years begun to make it my mission to take a bit of sunshine with me wherever I go. Sometimes that’s hard, when life has dealt you a low blow, or you’re feeling under the weather. Yet if regularly practiced, you will become quite adept at it and receive so much in the giving that you will hardly feel the small effort you exert. Grocery clerks standing long hours on their feet, often listening to complaints, begin to beam when you ask them about their day and show interest in them. They stand up straighter and suddenly seem to enjoy their work. It takes only a minute to compliment a stranger on her outfit or hairstyle or praise a child’s excellent manners or good behaviour. 

         It angers me to see moms and grandmas in grocery stores speak condescendingly to or about their little charges in front of them or complain that school can’t start soon enough. Or why must my daughter have to field intrusive, insensitive questions and comments in hearing of her sweet adopted boys. What is the matter with people? How few years we have to mold and shape and infuse their little psyches with a sense of confidence and security and wonder and possibility. They all have such potential. Why would we choose to squelch rather than foster their growth?

        In spite of everything, some people rise above adversity and yet thrive. But some need a little more love and tenderness and we can give that can’t we?

        Just think how great it will be when you see them finally bloom?