A Spot Of Brightness Amidst A Storm

photo by author

You know those days where no matter what you try to do, everything goes wrong? That was my day today.

It started with me feeding the chickens. Favorite (named because she loves to be picked up and talked to) pooped on my foot as I was holding her. A nice fat juicy splat of white nastiness on my black shoes.

Then, I go to change the chick’s water, and stick my head into a cobweb. As I pulled away quickly, a giant banana spider sat taunting me. I almost pissed my pants.

Then, my husband wakes up and is sicker than a dog. There goes the plan of going to the farmer’s market together. That’s fine. It gives me time to get some things done around the yard, right?

I go to mow the front yard, and the mower is out of gas. Thunder starts rumbling which meant if I was going to get it done, I’d have to hurry. Down to the “Man Can” I go, and then I have to lug the five gallon can of gas across about an acre to fill the mower.

By this time, it’s about ninety-five degrees with eighty percent humidity. I was already hot and tired and hadn’t even started yet. Needless to say, I only got about half of it done.

Then, the rain came.

Now, with a bunch of chores not done, no trip to the farmer’s market, and a sick husband coughing all over the house, I’m stuck inside.

But, there on my desk sits a beautiful little bouquet of flowers I picked this week from the front yard.

Sometimes it’s hard to see through the clouds. Today was that day for me. I was hot and frustrated but as soon as I saw those flowers, I remembered what it was that I was working towards.

My plan on planting flowers was to be able to grow enough to bring my elderly neighbor a bouquet every week through the summer. Although it hasn’t happened yet, I’m slowly getting there. This is the first year my babies have flowered, and although there are only a few here and there, I know that next year there will be many more.

This purple flower reminded me to have some patience.

Not everything in life happens when we want it to. Sometimes you have to put in the hard work and wait years to reap the rewards. When this happens though, it is so worth it.

Did I get berries from the berry patch this year? Besides a handful of strawberries, the answer would be no. Next year though…I can’t wait. The plants have tripled in size and are already multiplying. I just need to wait a little longer, put in a little more hard work, and practice my patience.

Long story short, my shoes can be washed. The lawn is not going anywhere and can be finished another day. The husband got a full day of rest and relaxation, I didn’t die from a banana spider attack, and the garden got watered without me having to do it.

And I was gently reminded to take a breath and find a little patience.