As I awoke this morning I contemplated the New Year. A lot has happened in 2009 that has made the year bitter sweet. Scott passed his board of review to become an Eagle Scout. A couple of months later, Dad was diagnosed with cancer and shortly thereafter, he passed away. As with each day, I like to be greeted by the morning sun. It is one of the constants in our universe. I decided to take a New Years day stroll around the back yard and see if there was anything that would add to this day. Past the leaves on the ground signifying that we have passed through fall and are in winter, there were some things in the garden that may express in pictures how I feel this New Year.
Blooms - the spent, the old blooms and the new
As with time, there always seems to be a season that contrasts with the other seasons of the year. In life, quite often, we see contrasts over time in our lives. We see the old and thing so the past. We see the spent blooms, the blooms that will soon lose their shape and petals, and those new blooms with their potential to flower. We may see the present, and it may not be as bright as we would like. If we look to the future, we can hope and have faith the there will be a brightness and newness.
Morning sun kissing the petals of the rose
It always seems that with light, it brings a warm glow; that with the future, we can hope that it may be bright and that it will flourish. Just as I look at the petals of a rose, kissed by the sun and waiting to open for a new day.
A sunflower for the New Year - no need to wait for spring for the sun to kiss its bright yellow petals
Then there is the sunflower, which came up in the garden this fall. A few weeks ago I watched this plant emerge, wondering why it would want to show itself as the days were getting shorter and the nights colder. It does not know that today is the first day of 2010 and much of the country is cold and some of it covered in snow. It just is ready to ring in the New Year and proclaim that 2010 is going to start brightly and warmly, just as the morning sun filters through its bright yellow petals.
May all of you have a great New Year, one that is bright, new and full of hope and faith.
