Butterfly Tulip

Last Fall, a friend decided to plant some tulip bulbs in a large flower pot on our deck. The flowers that came up in the Spring would be in memory of my mother-in-law who passed away in July. The outcome has been spectacular.

The tulips are a very unusual variety and in the process of opening, one, and only one, displayed the butterfly form you see in the picture. It is a very apt reminder that Eleanor is living a new life after the chrysalis of her death.

For many of us, our lives seem to be spent in a chrysalis, as well. Life is hard and each day is a battle to survive. That's when we need a reminder that flowers are beautiful, that small miracles occur where we least expect them and that decisions made on a sunny day in October can bring a smile on a cloudy day in April.

People who live in hope plant flowers. These bulbs and seeds will lift their spirits - or someone else's - on some unknown day in the future. Today, let's take a look at the trees that are leafing out and the gardens that are springing to life and give thanks for the people of the past who took the time to brighten the lives of the people of today.