Tulips

Spring as finally sprung here in Kansas.
Trees are budding, the grass is turning green,robins are singing their songs, and my lilac bushes smell DIVINE!

We have also enjoyed watching our tulips push their way out of the ground just to brighten our lives. A colorful reminder that indeed winter is over.

The Princess and her Daddy spent last Saturday together while I was a women's conference and the boys were at a party.
When I got home there was some serious excitement that the tulips had FINALLY opened up.
She was/is so thrilled to see them! Frankly, we were too.
They are just beautiful.

Monday morning was a bit cooler and as we left to run some errands The Princess was sad to see the tulips had closed back up.
Seems our Girl takes natures ways personally.

I assured her that as it warmed back up during the day that our beautiful tulips would open back up. It took some convincing but she finally believed me and a emotional breakdown was adverted.

By the time we got back home they had indeed opened back up and were thriving in their beauty.

By Tuesday however I noticed it was taking them longer to open back up and they weren't quite as vibrant as before.
It was as if closing and opening had taken it's toll on them and they had just decided it would be easier to remain closed.

Once Wednesday arrived, they weren't even trying to open back up.
Sadness for all of us.

But, it got me to thinking. I know a lot of people like those tulips.
Beautiful, who bring joy to those who they meet. Then something happens and they close up.
Sometimes, as self preservation, sometimes just because it's easier.
And by the time they've done that a few times they just decided it's easier to remain closed.
Maybe it is. I know I've felt that way before.
But, although it might be easier it's not how we were created to live, so we begin to shrivel up. We curl inward and won't let anyone or anything in.
We're just a remnant of what we COULD be.
No longer providing what we were created to be for those around us.

Just closed up shells, reminders of what we were supposed to be.

Life hurts sometimes. People can be mean and uncaring. Circumstances can wear a Girl down.
But, I refuse to be closed off any longer.
I want to reach for the sun, be a bright spot in someones day, not just a reminder that life is hard.

Doesn't mean I haven't been hurt or that I don't have every reason in the world to remain closed.
But, it's not what I was created for.

Thank You, Little Pink Tulip for reminding me to stand in the warmth of the sun and live the way I was created to be.