Sunflowers and Serendipity
2 years ago, a bird flew over my dad’s backyard. As it was flying over, it dropped a “deposit.” Due either to impeccable aim or just good luck, the poop landed in a small 1x2 foot square of soil that was otherwise surrounded by a cement sidewalk and a window well. Why am I telling you about bird poop? Well, because inside this sample of nature’s duty there was a sunflower seed.
My parents were never known for their gardening prowess. They’ve always kept their yard tidy, but never had ambitions for growing extra things. So, imagine their surprise when a small plant with lush heart shaped leaves began growing. My dad decided that it had potential and instead of yanking it out, he decided to let it grow.
As the season progressed, I began getting updates from my dad. I’d get a text that said things like, “it’s as tall as me now!” and “Look at these cute sunny faces!”
One day I came by to get a look at it myself and I was greeted by those cheerful yellow faces peering over his backyard gate.
After I left, my dad sent me this picture with the caption “It’s trying to look into the second story window!”
Although this is a cozy story about a sunflower, even more so, this story is about how the sunflower became a symbol of hope to me during a very dark time.
The same summer that a cheerful volunteer sunflower was stretching to second story heights, my mom was wilting. She had started cancer treatment, and the side effects of radiation and chemotherapy were heavy. With chemo, we were told that her skin was especially vulnerable to sunlight and so she was stuck indoors for most of the summer. She was also very tired and battling feelings of hopelessness.
I spent many mornings that summer at my mom’s house trying to find ways to bring her joy or comfort. One such way was to make her classic “French pancakes” (which are really just Crepes, but we weren’t good at pronouncing that). The first step in cooking these pancakes is to melt butter in a frying pan. I would use the sizzle and smell of hot melted butter to coax her out of her bedroom. Then, she and I would sit next to each other at the kitchen table to share a favorite meal. When we sat at that table, this was our view:
My mom couldn’t go out to see the sun, but these little sunflowers brought the sun to us.
I believe that God used a sunflower that summer to share His love for my family. He knew He was calling our Momma home to heaven and even so, he did not leave us without any hope or acknowledgement. He literally used a piece of crap to bring us a little serendipity that year. The trick was acknowledging it.
My mom has been gone a little over a year now and we miss her dearly. However, yesterday, my dad sent me a picture of this year’s sunflower. It has grown in the same spot, but this year, the bloom is bigger than it has ever been. Again, it feels like a message from a higher power saying that my Momma is ok. She’s watching over us and is flourishing once again.
Whether you believe in God, the Universe, Buddha, Muhammad, or some other higher power, you can find moments of comfort and truth in the world around you. This is why gratitude practices are so powerful. You can tune your attention to finding good, purpose, meaning, and more. When you do, they will bring you comfort and joy even in the darkest moments. When you find those beautiful things, I encourage you to write them down and share them with others.
Who knows, you may become someone else’s sunflower.
Thanks for reading with me today. I hope you see the serendipity in your surroundings this week.