Hope

Last weekend one of my aunts, Mom’s sister, passed away. The burial is often the hardest part and my mom fell apart in her sorrow for a while.

Later that day when I was leaving my parents’ house she walked me out and exclaimed, “Look at this flower! I’ve been waiting for it to bloom for 6 years! I had even forgotten about it!” How astonishing that on such a trying day this would happen to her. And in reality, I’ve heard and read stories where someone is grieving and a flower or rose blooms. I told her “I think God is trying to comfort you.”

I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
John 14:18

She later called one of her other sisters and mention the red flower. To which my aunt replied, “That’s funny because a red flower bloomed in my plants today too. I noticed it because it’s a spring flower and shouldn’t have come out.”

Coincidence? I don’t think so. As I went to bed I thought about how nice it is to think that when our loved ones pass on they can make flowers bloom. But I guess it’s greater to know that God sees when you are hurting and can single you out in this messy world, with a bud of hope.