Sally tends to her garden
With seeds, she does sow
Then witnesses her sunflowers
Abundantly grow
In a recent telephone conversation with my sister, Sally, she enthusiastically expressed a great fondness for sunflowers with me. She said, “some of the best things I have ever received from my husband and kids have had something to do with sunflowers.” She then described her family’s gifts of fresh bouquets, pick-me-ups, home decor, and the much-appreciated car rides out to see the sun gazers abundantly growing on the grounds of a nearby farm. This was not something I was aware of about my sister, so I asked her what drew her to this particular flower. Her response came as a surprise. She declared, “sunflowers have happy faces, they are extroverts, they confidently grow, they raise their heads to the sky and they are proud to be alive.” I was touched by her delightful description of the radiant flowers and thanked her for sharing it with me.
For the remainder of that day and for a couple of days to follow, I contemplated all that my sissy had mentioned. I decided to do a little research on the flower that has captured her heart. This is what I’ve discovered:
Sunflowers...
Are often referred to as the “fresh-faced, girl next door, with a sunny disposition”
Are supported by a steady stem and deep root system
Thrive under copacetic conditions and are adaptable to inclement scenarios
Continually follow the sun (the process is known as heliotropism)
Brighten the world with their luminant color
Appear to take pleasure in being alive
After googling the effervescent flower, I could not help but recognize the qualities that my sister values in sunflowers are similar to the ones I admire in her.
You see, being the youngest child in my family, I have always looked up to my big sister. To me, she is the “fresh-faced, girl next door, with a sunny disposition.” She is steady and solid, reliable and true. She has built a strong foundation, a deep root system and has been willing to put in the work to ensure personal success and the success of her family. She has battened down the hatches when necessary, bent with the wind when required, and continues to thrive. She has kept her head-up, followed the sun (wearing her coolest shades) and followed her dreams, too. She brightens the world with her beautiful smile and has blossomed into a lovely woman, partner, mother, and friend. Finally, like the resplendent sunflower, Sally takes great pleasure in being alive!
Like my sister, do you admire qualities in something that you also possess? Do you allow yourself to appreciate and find joy in who you are, or simply focus on the goodness that you see in other people and things? Today, I hope you will practice the art of self-appreciation and see what connections there are between the goodness you see outside of you and how that goodness is a reflection of you.
Comments