Just One Flower
by Michelle Jones
"How does the meadow flower its bloom unfold? Because the lovely little flower is free down to its root, and in that freedom bold." - William Wordsworth
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Life can be funny. Sometimes, even downright ridiculous. We start out wanting one thing, then switch to another, trying to find our way. Then we end up back where we started. Careers, relationships, the desires of the heart.
It's been 5 years since my mom passed away. Her favorite flower was the Camellia. I never knew, until just a few months before she died.
My mom had moved from Atlanta to North Carolina less than a year earlier, to be with us. We had a great time together. She was able to enjoy the kids baseball games, karate classes and dance recitals. Her grandchildren were her biggest joy in life. She went to church with us and celebrated all the holidays and birthdays with us. We did everything together.
Then in June 2006, we found out my husband was being transferred back to Atlanta, after being gone for 18 years. We couldn't understand the craziness of it, with mom having just moved to NC, but we worked together to get us all moved back. We sold our house and made the move in September. With four kids transferring to three different schools, we had our hands full.
Mom had a wonderful job in NC so that took priority. She made several trips to Atlanta on the weekends so we could help her look for a new house. We finally found one that was just right for her, and only 10 minutes from our home. She made an offer and got the house. A few weeks later we went to the closing, together. Our family worked on the house for weeks; getting it ready for her to move in. We cleaned, pulled up carpets, repaired damaged floors (mom and I did that together), repainted the interior, even planted flowers for her Christmas present while she was in NC. She was scheduled to move in January.
The moving truck was cancelled just days before the scheduled move in early January. She had become very ill and a dear friend of ours went to her and took her to the ER. A few days later the diagnosis came; metastatic colon cancer. Tragically, she died 30 days later.
Located in back of her new house in Atlanta, was the largest flowering bush I'd ever seen in my life. It seemed to be 20 feet tall, and probably a gazillion years old. I remember mom's face when we first went out the back door of the home and saw it. She said, "Oh my, that's a camellia, I've always wanted one!"
In May, for Mother's Day, our family planted a camellia bush (of the same color variety, red and yellow) in our back yard. Knowing that it can grow to be 20 feet tall, we planted it in an area where it can grow and grow and grow. Until now, there have been no flowers. Not even one. I've contemplated moving it many times, maybe to a better location with more or less sun, or better soil conditions. But I love being able to see it and think of her every day when I look out our kitchen window. It had to stay.
As the pain of January came calling again this year, grief brought with it the reminder of a task unfinished. A task my mom and I were working on together for several years. Now, it had been FIVE years since she passed the work back to me. Seems about time to pick up the pieces and get back to work. So, I did.
Over the weeks while I was working on our beloved project, I noticed something different about mom's camellia bush in our back yard. It looked to have little red spots popping up. Like flower buds!!!
We've had the warmest winter on record this year, maybe that has helped. Or maybe God just said... "Let there be flowers!"
I finished most of my editing work on the project last week. Now I'm working on plans for the coming year, for everyone to enjoy. Just a few days ago, I published our first issue in years. The beloved project is www.BlessingsforLife.com
Then I went outside and took this photo of mom's first camellia. A little reminder from God, with just one flower, that He is still with me, and so is she.
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Copyright
© 2012 by Michelle Jones. All rights reserved.
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