(Originally posted March 19, 2017)
Along with my poppies and other wildflowers, my birds’ sunflowers are blooming. As with the last burst of yellow blooms, I admit I am not the sower of the seeds. Instead, I give full credit to the multitudes of finches and other wild birds who frequent the front yard feeder. In their haste to find their favorite seeds, they turn through and toss half the contents to the ground. Soon, the mourning doves gather along with the finches to finish off what’s left. But, like last time thankfully a few seeds escaped their attentive eyes.
Last time only one, large sun-loving plant sprung up. It spread its delicate yellow petals one fall morning, adding a dash of color in the yard. But, this morning I found a whole sundry of sunflowers waiting to greet me. One large one, and almost a half dozen others waking up and facing the sun.
It’s funny. As much as I love sunflowers, I’ve never planted them in my own gardens. I suppose seeing pictures of the tall stalks had me figuring they’d outgrow the yard. But, the birds’ seeds are just the right size – less than three feet, and perfectly scattered among the weeds and wildflowers.
I doubt I could have done a better job. I probably would have sprinkled handfuls of seeds throughout the garden, in places where I figured they’d receive a regular supply of water and sun. But, nature doesn’t work that way. Sometimes, haphazard planting results in a more natural, and abundant display of color. Nature’s way of saying “I’ve got this.”
The birds and blooms got me thinking about how I often try to plan things out. But, sometimes life has other plans. By stepping back, and not trying to make everything fit perfectly, a whole new scenario comes forth, bringing color and opportunities I’d never considered. Because I’d always thought sunflowers were too big, I never tried to plant them. But, by feeding the birds, they did what I was hesitant to do.
I’m not really sure where this is going… Maybe, because a week from today I will have earned my Master’s degree. Then will come the search for teaching positions. Health-wise, I’m not sure I can handle a full-time position at a local college; but, I need to remember there are other possibilities too. And, maybe there’s something that I love to do just waiting for me to discover, something I’d never considered because I thought it wouldn’t be the right fit.
I believe nature’s saying, “I’ve got this,” is a reminder for me to let go of preconceived expectations and see what unfolds. Most likely, like the sunflowers, it will be more than I could have done on my own and a whole lot better.