Stop and Smell... the Tulips

I know this blog tends to be fairly spiritual with a focus on evangelism, but I'd like to share my day today, just to show that my life is also comprised of things that I find meaningful, but not necessarily that impactful.

I learned that there is an estate which has dedicated its lawn entirely to tulip gardens. Tulips are by far my favorite flower, so I was determined to go see them before all their precious little petals fell off! I set out to go see the gardens two days ago, but it was as if the weather were playing peek-a-boo with me and every time I got in the car or walked outside it'd start to drizzle. "No way do I want to get stuck looking at tulips in the rain!" I thought, and I'd walk back in, or turn the car around. I did this twice, and each time when I went in the sun would come out. I still forfeited the trip. Then there was a thunderstorm the next day. And then there were tornadoes. Seriously. I prayed for the petals to be strong and endure the storms (no there will be no metaphor for life later) so I could come see them.

Finally today, despite it being very windy, I was determined to see the tulips! I drove out to the main road and had to stop while 3 adult looking deer leaped across the road in front of me in the middle of the day- the road being none other than Deer Wood Ct, I kid you not! Thankfully they didn't dart last minute, but rather decidedly made their way across the road, which gave me plenty of time to stop and avoid hitting them.

I progressed on my way and made it to the gardens. There was the sound of music carried on the wind. I later realized it was by a man sitting on a lawn chair in the middle of a patch of tulips playing a recorder. Yes, a recorder, like the kind we all played in elementary school music class. He had music for it and everything.

Then a basset hound puppy bounded up to me with her oversized ears and feet. She was accompanied by her owner and another dog, which I learned was a basset/beagle mix. I chatted with the owner and complimented the puppy on how beautiful she was. She chewed on my hand with her sharp puppy teeth, but I didn't mind.

I took in the tulips and was thankful that most of them still had their full blossoms, although some patches were petal-less. I thought about how nice it is that somewhere in the world- actually the place where I am now situated in life- has an entire garden full of my favorite flower. I may not know what I am doing with my future or my career, but I can enjoy and appreciate little things like this on a day where I don't have work.

Unfortunately along with beautiful Spring flowers comes Spring allergies. I wasn't suffering from them really until this morning. I went to sleep with the window open because it was not quite warm enough to keep the A.C. on. I woke up with the entire left side of my nose inflamed and tender. Like the whole nostril. I get swelling, but should this affect my entire nostril? I decided to stop by a pharmacy on the way home to get some Zyrtec. I could not place the pharmacist's accent other than being somewhere in West Africa. I asked him where he is from and he said Nigeria. Then he asked me if I watched the royal wedding and said, "It was so beautiful!"

Then I went out to the parking lot to my car and walked by this retirement aged black gentleman in a tan suit, with a pink tie, suspenders, and a straw looking brimmed hat. He was getting out of his Cadillac. I complimented his outfit and asked him where he was going looking so fancy, and he said he is retired and he always dresses like that. (That is how I knew he was retirement age!) ;) And then he asked if I wanted to marry him. I said I'd consider it if he wants to pay off my student loans.

[As an aside, it is really sad how much I value things in terms of paying off my student loans. When I was in Burma, a businessman associated with the English school I worked at approached me after class and gave the proposition of marrying a Burmese man to grant him U.S. citizenship in exchange for $15,000 U.S. I told him no, of course that is against the law, but then when recounting the story to others back in America I added, "$15,000 would barely pay off one of my student loan bills! He'd have to offer a lot more than that!" Also, when doing a contract job the other attorneys and I were talking about how much a qualified woman can get paid to be an egg donor. It is like $100,000. I said something to the effect of, "I don't think I'd want some stranger to have a kid that is partially mine... but that would cover most of my student loan debt!" And last night I was saying how you couldn't pay me enough to jump out of a plane, except for maybe if you paid off my student loan debt. hahaha]

Those of you with massive student loan debt can sympathize. Anyway, I didn't continue the discussion with the Cadillac driving, suit wearing, retired man any further about marriage.

Then I came home. Now I am writing this blog.

Many days are like this I find. I didn't learn anything new about myself today, except that I am susceptible to allergies in this new place where I am now living. I didn't figure out what to do with my life. But I did get out and enjoy tulips. And random strangers. And their dogs. And the flattery of a marriage proposal in the parking lot.

I guess if there is a moral to this post it would be- wherever you are in life, whether you are happy with what has become of it or not, enjoy your surroundings. Take time for things that are put on the earth just for you. For me it's tulips. For you it's something else. But don't miss it- and the people around you- just because your circumstances aren't everything you want and hope for. Some days we have to make the most of what we're given because we can't allow our contentment to depend on circumstances.

There ya go. And here are some pictures from the garden!

The man with the recorder

And just for fun... my purse!