A Year of Gratitude – February 2, 2024

I found my gratitude easily today. How could I not be grateful for something as beautiful as this?

I have been watching and waiting for my Amaryllis to bloom. I have been tending to one since late November and a pot of three since late December. They’ve been growing strong stems and reaching for the sun, but none of them seemed ready to bloom no matter how eager I was for them to.

Today was the day that the first bud opened up enough for me to see the glorious petals that had been developing inside. I was so excited to see them. They were worth every moment of waiting. They’re not close to being fully open yet already beautiful.

These delicate petals were a reminder that grand things are usually worth the wait. They can’t be rushed. They have to be allowed to develop in their own time. They bloom when they are ready, not when I am.

They’re so much like the important things in life. I need to take a deep breath and be patient. I need to stop rushing and allow things to take shape in the time that they need, not that timeline that I want. Rushing just means that I am missing the stage when something magical happens: when something becomes the thing it was always meant to be.

So, I took a deep breath and enjoyed the beauty of what I could see from these petals. And then I chose not to wish this stage away, not to rush to the moment when the blooms are fully open. This part is just as beautiful in its own way. I intend to enjoy it for the marvel that it is and be ready to see those blooms when they are ready to stretch their petals and turn towards the sun. You can be certain that I’ll be sharing that moment with you.

I hope that today gave you a reason to be grateful and that it treated you gently.

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.