The Miracle of Flowers

“If we could see the miracle of a single flower, our whole life would change.”

–The Buddha

Orchids are notoriously difficult flowers to cultivate. About a month ago I noticed little sprouts on three of my orchid plants (even the really sad looking orchid that I recued from Bob’s office), all of which had shed their blooms months before. I had relinquished all hope that I would ever see blooms again on these beauties. But, soon enough the miracle of the orchid will return to my office. I was almost giddy with excitement when I first noticed the sprouts, because I’m not really known for having a green thumb. As David jokes, “Emily is really good at growing ivy.”

Half of the battle of giving thanks is really taking inventory of all there is for which to give thanks. We forget about the little miracles that permeate all of existence. Think about the intricacy of something as small as a flower- the millions of years of evolution (flowers showed up about 135 million years ago), the incredible process of photosynthesis, or the delicate curvature of the petals. An awful lot of things had to happen to make this flower on my desk possible.

So if you’re struggling to find things for which to be thankful, contemplate how incredible it is that any of this (life, you, orchids) even exists at all. Finding wonder in “simple” things will ensure you always have cause for thankfulness. Remember, “We don’t give thanks because we’re happy. We’re happy because we give thanks.”

Peace, Love, and Laughter,

Emily