When the time came for my friend (who stayed with us following her spine surgery) to go back to her home, in the shuffle of loading everything in the car, her get-well tulips were accidentally left behind.
When I walked back inside the house after the car had disappeared down the driveway and around the corner … there sat her pot of get-well tulips.
At first, I was terribly disappointed that they had accidentally been left behind.
But then, on the heels of the disappointment I found myself delighted that my friend’s flowers (“a little piece of her” so to speak) had been left behind.
We had just been through a lot together! It brought me so much joy that a “little piece of her” had been left behind.
Love leaves beauty behind.
As we go through life pouring love into others, we are leaving bits and pieces of ourselves behind in other’s lives. We are leaving bits of joy behind. We are leaving pieces of encouragement behind in their life. We are leaving memories of kindness which they will look back on for years to come.
We don’t realize it in the moment. As we go through life pouring love into others, we don’t even know we are leaving pieces of ourselves behind.
But from their perspective, after we have gone, there sits a pot of pretty tulips. (so to speak)
I planted my friend’s get-well tulips in a big pot on the back deck. By then the blooms were spent. But they had originally been a beautiful Easter-y assortment of pastel yellows, pinks, purples, etc. …
As I was planting them in their big pot, I discovered lots of little “baby bulbs”! I was so excited! I planted all the “baby bulbs” in a pot all to themselves! There will be lots and lots of tulips next year!
I told my friend that whenever hubby and I have a chance to drive over her way we will bring her tulips to her! Even though the big pot of original tulips will eventually make its way back to my friend, left behind at my home will be a little pot full of “baby bulbs.”
This is what happens when we pour love into other people! We leave behind “baby bulbs” in their life. “Baby bulbs” which will grow! And which will bloom next year! And which will fill other’s lives with joy!
And which will multiply and continue to expand!
Because love grows! Love multiplies! Love expands!
Love leaves beauty behind!
