Magnolia, nature and nurture.

Tonight I saw a glimmer of hope. Much needed with the way I have been feeling lately. Well if honest for a while. Life seems like a battle, which I feel I’m loosing.

But there’s always hope…. And nature has so much we can learn from.

Magnolia flower buds are appearing on the tree outside my door. The poor tree has tried so hard the last four years to flower. All year nurturing itself, trying to bloom.

But sadly the frost has seen those blooms turn black and die. Before they reach their full beauty.  It still survives, but not as beautifully as it could.

The last time it has fully bloomed was just after Ethan was born in 2018. I remember it so well. At the time it really resonated with me. And it lead me to make a piece based on it.

Ironically that piece now lays in the shed, needing repaired. As much as I tried to keep it safe, protecting it. It wasn’t enough.

Since that time the tree hasn’t been able to reach full bloom. Last year I thought we were there….. one day flowers began to open. The smell was Devine and the joy it gave was immense. It seemed silly for such a small thing. My efforts again aren’t enough. The frost hit hard, unexpected and the flowers withered and died. The tree is too big, much like what we face in life. A blanket isn’t an option. So I cannot protect it from the elements, keep it safe. No matter how much I love it.

So, I, as we all can….. we can learn from nature. It has adapted and is learning from its previous failures and tries.  It is slowing down. Producing those blooms a bit later. Saving its energy……. And I do hope, this year it will be able to fully bloom. Because it’s so beautiful when it does.

Just as I can….. we all can. We can learn to bloom again. By taking a bit more time to nurture ourselves. Until the time is right and we are ready.

And maybe I will find the strength to dig out that piece, sad and broken. But still beautiful in its own right and repair it. When I too, feel I am repaired and ready to .