Wildflower Writes

Photo by  Suhyeon Choi  on  Unsplash I was recently “gifted” with some of my old papers- elementary school report cards, nursery school art, and a Sunday School certificate signed by Mrs. Betty Engle. As a child, I saw Betty as not only kind, but elegant and charming. She had a grace beyond a typical Midwesterner. I was a little jealous of my friend who was able to call her “grandmother.” Ms. Betty passed away this week, and I wonder if her grandchildren and great-grandchildren felt what I have felt after a loved one passed away. My world was upended. I would never see or speak to this person again (although I did ask God to give my grandma a message). Yet, almost unceremoniously, the rest of the world marched on. People in the grocery store acted like nothing had changed. People laughed and planned fun things. It seemed wrong for them to act normal when I was in such pain. Of course, strangers had no way to know how I was feeling, and no reason to act differently. ...

  Photo by Dennis Buchner on Unsplash Yesterday, I took a walk through the park and was amazed at the beauty of ice and snow-covered trees. It was like a picture postcard, white frosted branches against a gray sky, alongside a fast-moving river, with a few Canadian geese to keep me company. This morning as I lay snuggled in bed and heard the microwave let out a death beep and saw everything go dark, the snow and ice seemed less romantic. A glance out the window confirmed that my building and at least a few surrounding blocks were out of power. Yet, when I rode down a tree-lined street past a wooded property on my way to church, I couldn’t help but feel the same sense of wonder and admiration at the scenery. It was breathtaking. The same storm that caused downed power lines and fallen trees and icy roads created beauty unmatched by anything humanly designed or created. The inconvenience and hardship of no electricity didn’t diminish the goodness that I recognized the day befo...