Renewal

While I'm struggling to figure out what my life is and where it is going I am trying to stay positive. Sometimes, this is difficult - but today I was given a glimpse of hope, and proof that all is not always lost.

When we bought our home 8 years ago it was fall, but the backyard had large lilac bushes along the back fence. I was disappointed in the spring when there was not one flower on any of the several bushes in my yard. For 5 years, no blooms. Our backyard was very shady, so I thought that might be the problem. 3 years ago in the fall I cut the bushes way back, trimmed them down and fertilized them with the hope to renew these plants and get them to bloom again. The following spring I was rewarded with one sprig of blooms way at the top of one bush, I couldn't even reach them to cut it and bring the scent of lilacs inside.


That summer we lost another one of our ancient oak trees and suddenly our backyard would get some sun all day long.


Last spring, I was rewarded with maybe a dozen blooms total on all my bushes.


This year every bush has many blossoms, growing and blooming and I cannot wait for the scent of lilacs and the chance to cut stems and put them in a vase on my table.


All is not lost, renewal takes time - even in nature. A group of lilac bushes that never bloomed have now erupted in blossoms of purple after getting what they needed. Wish I knew exactly what it was that worked, but I'll just enjoy the final outcome for now.