Petals From the Bouquet of Life
Embrace the Beauty and Wonder of Being
My life is like a big, beautiful bouquet. In my bouquet each year of my life could be thought of as being represented by an individual flower.
People, events, thoughts and actions can be thought of as single petals on the individual flowers. Over the years I have lost and gained petals on my flowers. Some petals have fallen from my bouquet and have been blown away by the winds of change. A few of these fallen petals have faded and drifted into the deepest recesses of my memory, on rare occasion the beauty that these petals brought to my life is only brought to remembrance by some random occurrence that triggers something in my memory. Some petals that have fallen, have had other petals take their place, to fill the void that was left when the petal departed from my beautiful bouquet. Several of the petals have withered and have fallen from my bouquet when there was no longer any life left in them, and they could hold on no longer. However, the spot those petals held is now a bare spot in my bouquet, because nothing or no one can ever take their place.
I like to think of the petals that were blown away and replaced as being changes that God wanted to take place in my life. Those particular petals brought me beauty and joy, but maybe someone else needed them more than I did at the time. For the petals that withered, I like to think of them as being a petal that God took from my bouquet so they could become a beautiful, everlasting flower in His Heavenly bouquet.
The many people, events, thoughts, and actions that have been a part of my bouquet of life, have made me who I am. God gave me each one for a special reason. Many of the petals I will remember as long as I have a functioning mind, and when I remember them I do and will relish in the joy and beauty that they brought to my life, and am thankful that God allowed them to be a part of my life’s bouquet.
The exquisite beauty of my bouquet can not be ignored, however, life is not always happy, safe, and secure. At times mistakes are made, and there are hardships to face, it is all a part of this existence. We live and learn, we grow physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Over the years there have been many thorns that have appeared in my bouquet.
Do I wish there had been no thorns among my bouquet?
No, because each thorn has taught me something, the thorns that have pricked me with their sharpness and hurt me with their harshness have also made me learn to appreciate the soft, delicate, fragrant beauty of each petal more than I would have, had my bouquet never been infested with the thorns.
Sometimes the hardships involved a death, so the thorn actually took a petal from me, but even though at the time the pain from the prick of the thorn was great, God has allowed the pain to subside and now usually the only memory is of the beautiful petal. However, at times I am still affected by the stinging pain of a thorn, and it is in those moments that my remaining flowers are watered with the dew of my falling tears.
There are times when my mood may be down, there are times I get angry. There are times when things do not go the way I wish they would. Yet, when I think of my life as a beautiful bouquet and open my senses, I see the beauty that each petal has brought to my life. I breathe in the fragrance of the flowers, sometimes the aroma is so strong I can taste it. I lift my hand and touch the petals and feel the strength and love that each petal had and still has for me. Then I relax and listen as a gentle breeze blows through the petals. Each petal reacts to the breeze and as long as God sees fit they will remain a part of my bouquet. God gave me a beautiful bouquet for my life, He has taken some of my petals, but the memories remain. My life is my being and there is a special beauty and wonder to my life, because of the lovely flowers God has placed in my bouquet.
I hope I will always embrace the beauty and wonder of life that is mine due to the beautiful petals God has placed upon the flowers in the bouquet of my life.
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