Tag: fragrance

Blossoming

“Listen to me, my faithful children, and blossom like a rose growing by a stream of water.
      “Send out fragrance like incense, and put forth blossoms like a lily.  Scatter the fragrance, and sing a hymn of praise; bless the Lord for all his works.”  (Sir. 39:13-14, NRSV Catholic Ed.)

I love this passage from the book of Sirach.  God seems to be saying that I can be more than I am in the present moment, more than I can desire or even imagine.  This resonates in my heart, and I believe it is true.  I want to be like the rose or the lily that gives off a lovely fragrance to the world.  I want my life to be a hymn of praise that blesses the Lord who made me and who sustains my life.

At the same time, I am aging.  I see an old woman in the mirror.  I am not as strong as I used to be.  There are more years behind me than before me.  Yet my desire to become something more is as strong and vigorous as if I were a young woman with my whole life ahead of me.

St. Therese of Lisieux wanted to be a saint, and at the same time, she was realistic about her limitations and her situation.  She didn’t think she was made of the stuff of great saints (although it turned she was), but she believed God would not have given her the desire to become a saint unless it was possible for her to achieve that goal.

I can’t compare myself to St. Therese, but I may still have something beautiful to offer to the world.  I may still have some unopened petals, but in order for them to open, I need to remain near the stream of running water.  For me, that stream is the mysterious life that flows from the opened side of the Savior, from the side of the one who gave his life for me so I could have life, so I could be life in myself and for others.

At the end of my life on earth, when my last petal has fallen to the ground, I hope to enter into a greater life, an eternal life with the Lord who has loved me so dearly in this earthly life of preparation.  I look forward to being with him forever in that abundant life – ever fresh, ever radiant, ever blessed.

Shadow and Light

Although not much is blooming at the moment, the shady side of the courtyard is looking rather nice.

The sunny side, where we recently created a new border, is looking bare. (See below.) The blossoms have fallen off the new Lantana plants, although some buds are forming. I am hoping the plants will put down good roots over the winter and spread out nicely next spring. In October, I will pot up some violas and kale plants to fill in the spaces over the winter.

The evergreen holly tree in the corner has only been in the ground for two seasons. It grows very slowly, but it is covered with green berries that will soon turn red and remain on the branches throughout the winter.

I am still experimenting with Pelargonium cuttings. In the summer heat, my cuttings from the Pelargonium graveolens (Rose Geranium) rooted well in moist soil. Even though they are related, all my efforts with Pelargonium citrosum (Citronella) utterly failed. Undaunted, I took some cuttings again this morning. Perhaps they will root in water during the cooler weather. The fragrance in my studio after I brought in the cuttings was intoxicating.

Citronella (left) and Rose Geranium (right)