Monday, January 7, 2013

The Warrior Flowers of France

I don't know how, but the flowers in France are tenacious.  They are undeterred by change in season, frost covering their dear little petals, or even snow surrounding their feet.  Now, I didn't get a picture of the snow covering their heads, but it happened.  This picture was taken the day before Christmas vacation began.  Yeah, that's right, CHRISTMAS.

The French know the secret to flowers.  Go to the market on Saturdays and you will see gardeners selling their wares, in the middle of winter.  I watched as one man carefully gave instructions to an elderly couple on just how to plant this wee little flower so that it would bloom, even in January. 

French flowers have captured my eye, amazed me with their versatility and their capability to grow whenever and wherever.  Independent and unafraid.  No snow will keep us down!  Frost, HAH!  We laugh in the face of it.  These flowers are the warriors of the flower kingdom. 

I find companionship with them.  I think back on my life, my experiences, and I see our similarities.  And that's when I am thankful for the warrior spirit in all of us, for the spark that lights a fire in our insides and keeps us warm in the coldest of winters.  And when the snow melts, we bounce back up, just like the French flowers, and tenaciously, vivaciously, continue living and sharing our beauty through all life's ups and downs. 

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