"Always be on the lookout for the presence of wonder."
E. B. White
Each year I need to remind myself to pay attention and see the wonder of spring as it arrives. It often feels like it happens in an instant. Somethings are hard to miss. Our magnolia tree is magnificent right now with pale pink blossoms bursting forth. When we first moved here that tree became one of my favorite things about our yard. Over the years, I have come to appreciate it for more than it’s beauty because we often never really get to enjoy its pink blossoms. Their splendor is often cut short by an early frost or a harsh wind. Often, what we see most are brown petals strewn across the lawn. I have come to appreciate that tree because it reminds me that the things of life are fragile and unpredictable. Did you catch that? We often hear that life is fragile but maybe it’s not life, but the circumstances of life that are fragile.
There is more to the tree than it’s blossoms. Even when the blossoms brown before blooming, the tree carries on. Even when the wind rips through the branches and carries every blossom away in an instant, the tree carries on. The greatest wonder on display in nature may be the power and beauty of life itself, whether the blossom is dead or alive.
We see it in ourselves as well. The circumstances of our lives are often not pretty. They can bring real struggle and suffering. Yet, there is a power alive and at work in you. It doesn’t matter if you’re in the springtime of life, alive with joy and promise or if you’re wintering with seemingly no outward signs of growth around you. Each breath you take is carried forth on the wings of hope giving witness to the power of life. The Lord is near. He is life.* If we if listen and look we can find the wonder of his power, the grace of life itself. We can carry on in all circumstances.
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* John 1:3-4; Job 10:12