I love pansies. I especially love winter pansies which defy the cold and snow to brighten even the dreariest days. I love their saucy faces of purple and gold.
(A personal note: In a children's song book, there is a song entitlted "Little Purple Pansies." When our oldest daughter, Alanna, was three years old, she sang "Little Purple Panties." It is one of those sweet memories that I take out and hold close to my heart.)
Pansies are a humble flower. Unlike the more showy roses, pansies require that you bend close to appreciate their beauty. They put me in mind of some special people.
A lady in our church serves faithfully in the nursery, lovingly tending the under-three-year-old children so that their parents can go to class. She willingly gives up going to the adult classes in favor of reading stories and singing songs to these smallest of God's children.
Another woman, whose own children are now grown, reads to preschool children every week. She does this without recompense, her only "salary" that of the joy she finds in sharing her love of reading.
A man gives of his time and means to work with the eleven-year-old scouts in our church. He is never happier than when he is teaching them, inspiring them, preparing them to go on and become Eagle Scouts.
Each of these individuals perform these small acts of love without fanfare, without seeking the spotlight. Each has defied personal challenges to serve others.
So, for today, I am grateful for winter pansies which bloom where they are planted ... and for people who do the same.
As always, your blog was thought-provoking. One of the things I admire about pansies is that when they're pinched back, they grow new blossoms. In fact, they need that pruning to make them continue to flourish. Wouldn't it be wonderful if all of us reacted so positively to pruning?
ReplyDeleteUgh. I know I don't. When I see life coming at me with a pair of shears, I tend to dissolve into tears.
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