Here Today, Gone Tomorrow

Watch oil painting “Pink Flower” come to life in 30 seconds

In the good news, bad news scheme of things, covering the garden plants was mostly successful in protecting them from frost damage. Some of my plants died though. I lost some bell peppers, eggplants and flowers (cosmos, morning glories, and moon flowers). Some of my grapes and roses have a bit of (survivable) damage.

Other flowers were thriving today, especially when the sun and warmth returned. It was mostly unpredictable which flowers would be “here today and gone tomorrow”, as all young seedlings are tender and vulnerable. Yet some lived to grow another day and will likely bloom in a few weeks, while others withered, and some died rather instantly.

This is a metaphor for us humans. We may not know who will be here today, and gone tomorrow- it may even be ourselves who don’t make it to grow and bloom. In the good news, bad news scheme of things, when we know that each day is precious and fleeting, we may be inspired to live as if time is short. We must grow and bloom before it’s too late.

Much of my life I thought I might die young like my dad, as so many people would tell me, “You’re just like your father.” But in this aspect I am not like him. I outlived his years on Earth a long time ago, yet I still live as if I could be gone tomorrow. I want to know that I’ve done everything I could to live a full life, with people I love, and in alignment with the purpose I was born for. I don’t make much time for people I don’t like, things I don’t like to do, or conforming to what’s expected. I do make time for what feels special to me, even if my faith, passion, and ideas don’t make sense to anyone else.

Let us be like the flowers. They don’t know how long they’re here, but they work each precious moment toward the day when they’ve grown into their beauty. May we be beautiful!

God bless you and your family. Peace be with you.