A Year of Gratitude – January 9, 2024

I was passing by a windowsill in the farmhouse this morning when I spotted something both surprising and amazing. A violet given to us by a friend that I had nearly given up on has rallied and set forth deep purple blooms.

I have been tending to this plant for months, trying to find it a spot in the farmhouse where it would have the right conditions to bloom. It had shed leaves, gone through the shock of the change in environment, and looked like it might not make it.

Yet here it is, putting forth these fabulous blooms for me to enjoy. Somehow, it summoned the strength to create them after all this time. They are such a welcome surprise on a day when I was struggling to find my gratitude.

Perhaps gratitude is not that different from these blooms. Sometimes, it just needs a bit of time to gather strength, to open up to the world in its own time, and share its beauty with the world.

This post is part of our A Year of Gratitude Series. You can find the introduction, inspiration, and entire year’s gratitude’s posts here.