I took time to stop at the hibiscus garden in the MOSC campus yesterday morning. I was greeted by bright flowers and buds as shown in the first two photographs. It was refreshing and a good way top begin on a cloudy day.
It rained all through the day. The third picture is of the rain drops seen through the window of the office room I occupy.
I stopped at the hibiscus garden in the evening on my way back from the hospital. Some of the hibiscus flowers looked folded, drooping and fading away prematurely!
During the next 25 minutes of my drive home, this picture stayed with me.
The flowers would have a longer life of three to five days normally. But it was cut short to just a day or so due the rain.
At the seventh decade of my life, life is still full of meaning and hope for me. I love living because life invites me to live fully and content.
I recalled during the drive instances when I suffered and felt threatened by the circumstances.
The rain is good for plants and but not so much for the flowers. The plant protects the flowers in rain and heat. The flower although fragile does withstand the hostile rain. The petals looked droopy, but it is still held strongly by its calyx and stays attached to the plant.
I felt encouraged by this thought. However hostile is the situation, God holds us firmly and securely!
I remembered the words of Jesus of Nazareth, 'I am the one and you are the branches; he who abides in me and I in him he beers much fruit..'(John.15:5).
That is when I remembered sighting the tree next to the hibiscus plant, full of fruits.
The drooping flower and the abundant fruits- they both make the picture of life complete.
There are times when we might feel burdened and heavy, but that experience is only part of the story. The other side of the story is that life also bears fruits. Fruits are for giving away to others and not for oneself.
The vulnerable flower and the fruit giving tree! Lief is both of that!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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