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Today, as I went on my daily walk, I
prayed. This is not what I usually do. I usually have some music
blasting from my headset as I try and walk to the beat. But not today.
Today I wanted to hear God’s music. For
the past few mornings, the song birds have been my alarm clock, and I’ve
been able to greet each day with joy. So today I decided to keep that
feeling with me during my walk.
As I walked, I was taken in by the
beauty of God’s nature. The birds were singing. The sun was shining, and
a nice breeze was blowing. The trees were budding, and the flowers were
slowly blooming. Aside from my aching muscles, it was perfection.
I found myself talking to God, asking
Him for guidance and direction in my life. I asked Him to open up my
mind and my spirit to His will.
Almost immediately, I came upon a rose
bush, and the thought, “Take time to stop and smell the roses” came to
me. I chuckled at the clich? and said, “Okay, God. What’s your point? To
look more at the good in my life?” So I did that. For the next two laps
around the track, I put all worry aside and thought of the blessings in
my life.
Then I came to the rose bush again. And
I noticed three roses on the bush, all in different stages of
development. All were equally beautiful.
One rose was still in the bud stage,
tightly closed, and darker than the other roses. The second rose was in
it budding phase, slightly opened and becoming brighter. And the third
rose was fully open, vibrant and bursting with color.
As I walked, so many thoughts came
pouring into my mind. I began to compare my life to that of the rose. I
saw such a correlation I had no doubt it was a message to me from God.
When I related the message of the rose
to my personal struggles in life, dealing with addictive behaviors as
well as issues of weight, I’ve felt tightly wound just like the rose
bud. I’ve been afraid to open up. I’ve been afraid to let anyone in.
Sometimes I’m even afraid to let God in. So I’ve stayed a bud. But
unlike the rosebud, I’ve always thought I was ugly. Today I realized
differently. There is beauty in the rosebud. There is beauty in me, even
as I struggle with my weight. I’m merely in a different stage of
development, and I cannot open myself. I cannot “bloom” without God. If
I force myself open without God, I will damage myself.
But if I let God open me in His perfect
time, I will begin to bloom perfectly in His eyes. As I open myself to
the light of His love, I will begin to bloom and become more vibrant.
And the more light I receive, the more I open myself to receive other
gifts God has for me. And the more I receive, the more I have to share
with others.
Soon I will be that rose in full bloom.
As I finished my walk today, I had to
smile at the wonderful ways in which God chooses to reveal Himself to
us. We are all beautiful. Our differences do not make us any less
lovely, nor do our struggles.
As I passed the rosebud for the last
time, I actually did stop and “smell the roses”. And the fragrance on
each one of them was beautiful.
© 2006 by Cheryl
Williams
politicalgirl04
@ aol.com
Cheryl has been writing since the age of fifteen. She sold her first
short story in 1988. Her list of credits include Primary Treasure, Our
Little Friend, Home Life, and Front Porch Magazines, among others. She
says her greatest joy comes from touching others through her writing.
She lives in Charlotte, NC with her husband, three children and her dog,
Bugsy. |
