What makes a flower beautiful? The strength of the stem? The decorative leaves? No. The colorful petals that grow after the bleak winter are the source of the flower’s beauty. What power enables the petals to grow? Flowers are never taught how to create the needed nutrients they need, it is innately born within them. We, like the flower, rely on a stronger power to enable our growth, and face times of bleak weakness and renewed beauty.
We, like the flower, go through cycles in our life. The Summers of our lives are filled with joy and love, the Falls we face some challenges, the Winters we might feel alone, but the Springs bring hope and growth.
During the Summer times of our life we live life to the fullest, casting away all cares and strife. While soaking up the sun and flaunting our natural beauty, we enjoy the love of family and friends. In our times of ignorance and bliss, we become complacent and don’t notice the dangerous weeds that are starting to entangle and ensnare us.
Then, one day, a storm hits us and shakes us to our roots. Without heeding to any warnings, we become confused and unable to face the challenge that Fall brings. In our pride, we think we can simply overcome and defeat this trial alone. Slowly, our colors fade, our strength wilts, and we become weak and helpless. Our beauty falls away and we enter the bleak stark Winter.
Feeling absolutely alone, with no one to turn to, we feel like giving up. Degraded to our very roots, we have nothing left to give. Over time, we become humbled and realize who truly gives life to our roots and helps us become beautiful – Christ. Christ is always there for us even when we are the weakest. He gives us the strength we need to hope for the Spring. Christ knows how to help, lead, guide, and support us through our trials because he has overcome every December. It is only through Christ that we can even hope for Spring. With meekness, and fully devoting our very roots to Christ, we are reborn as we humbly enter the Spring.
As our new life is budding, we still rely on Christ to sustain us through our instability. Blessings of the Holy Ghost and personal revelation pour down upon us from Heaven giving nourishment to our young roots. Over time as we work and turn our life and efforts to Christ, we bloom into a gorgeous flower. It is in our weakest times that we turn to Christ, and he enables us to make our weakness our greatest strength.
So, when you feel like you’re in the December of your life, always remember that Spring will come.
3 comments:
Ever since the BYU modern dance company debuted a duet called "Spring Dance" at a Devotional, I have been pondering the topic of spring in our lives. Your words are very meaningful to me. Thank you for these reflections. Could this become a longer piece? Perhaps you could read my essay on spring at: http://cindeerellaspells.blogspot.com
Ashley, I love your imagery and how it changes with the seasons. I could really identify with your feelings, especially when I think about all the "Decembers" of my life and how Spring has always come. I also really liked that you incorporated your testimony in the end. If you were going to expand into a larger piece, I would suggest adding examples and quotes. I feel like I have read a lot of GC talks on "hope" and "timing" that would fit really well with your blog. Good luck! =)
I love that instead of personifying flowers, you are flowerifying us. You do a great job of building our life cycle into the life cycle of the flower. There was great consistency--I never broke out of that imagery of myself as a flower while I was reading. You wove your testimony throughout the narrative and then left us with a powerful ending. Great job.
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