I wanted to share something with you all today that is focused on gifts, nature and gratitude.
A few years ago, my wife, daughter and I were staying by my parent’s house while in town. When at the store (I’m pretty sure I was with my daughter at the time), I saw some flower bulbs for crocuses. These are brilliant, stunning, flowers that bloom in the early, early spring (sometimes even while it is still winter). My mother loves flowers, and loves the color purple, and so I got her 2 small boxes of purple crocus bulbs. The actual monetary cost for the gift was very little, less than ten dollars.
Bringing them Home
When I brought the bulbs home and gave them to my mother, she happened to be very stressed out and overwhelmed at that moment (like happens to us all), without a lot of time to spend on the bulbs. She got a little upset at me, because she wouldn’t have time to plant them and because she couldn’t deal with having yet something else that needed to get done.
I immediately told her I would plant the bulbs, and she wouldn’t have to worry about a thing. There were maybe all of 10-20 bulbs between the two boxes, and they only needed to go into the ground by 2-3″, and they are very small bulbs (a little bigger than a Milk Dud).
Planting the Bulbs
So I took my mother outside, had her point out some areas to put in the bulbs, and proceeded to plant them. It didn’t take me a long time to do so, but wow, has that small action paid off with serious dividends.
The Gift that Keeps on Giving
Now, each year as the flowers come up, I get a text message from my mother with some photos of the flowers. And each year, they expand a little in each area, covering more ground. Check out the photos attached to this post, every photo is a photo sent to me by my mother.
It’s the Little Things
Let’s face it. With life having as many ups and downs as it has, it is the little things that really have the opportunity to make a difference in our lives. Make a difference in someone’s life. Plant some sunshine in their life.
It is really amazing how many benefits there are from gardening. Really, I find that the more interaction you can have with nature and the like, the better of you are.
What are your thoughts?
What are other ideas of gifts that would keep on giving year after year, long after the original gift has been given? Let me know!
