Sustainability

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My beautiful waxed amaryllis is still going strong. It may have been a Christmas gift, but it might just become the centerpiece of my Easter table! I know I’ve written about this beauty at least once, maybe twice, but each time I cut a blossom that has faded, a new one appears and reveals another bloom. It’s kind of amazing.

I received two of these in December, and it’s been interesting to see the differences between them. One is tall, bold, and blooms constantly, while the other is shorter, a different color, and a bit slower to blossom, but it’s still dazzling me three months later.

Cut flowers usually have such a short shelf life that these may have worked their way into becoming my new favorite flower. And the waxed bulb means zero work… I’ll take that! Wouldn’t it be nice if everything were that self-sustaining?

Tim and I were discussing our levels of fitness, each of us remembering our days of peak performance. I realize those days of peak fitness are distant memories; he still believes he has it. You’ve got to love that kind of delusion. He made a crazy bet at work that he could run a mile and a half in fifteen minutes. Oh, Tim! I’m sure he could have done it fifteen years ago, I might even give him ten, but today??? If I were a gambling gal, I might have to side with his coworkers. Sorry, Tim.

Who knows, maybe he’ll surprise us all and pull it off. I imagine he’d be in bed for two weeks afterward if he does...but he's a stubborn one and sure likes to win a bet. 

It’s funny how our brains remember our bodies at their best. Cruel, really, since as the years roll by, reality can look a little different. Still, maybe this will inspire Tim to get back in shape, start running, or heck, even walking a few miles each day. Who knows, maybe he’ll even wake up and walk with me on the weekends. Imagine that?

Like that pretty amaryllis, our bodies have a way of rejuvenating themselves if given the right attention. A little patience, a little care, and sometimes the most surprising blooms appear when we least expect them.

So here’s to small efforts, second chances, and the quiet resilience of both flowers and people. If my amaryllis can keep blooming three months later, maybe there’s hope for that 15 minute mile.

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” ~ C. S. Lewis