My begonias have cracked me up this summer. They look strong, the leaves are perfectly waxy, they stand tall, and the red flowers are vibrant and beautiful.
But…they are such fakers.
At the slightest rain, they lean and slump over against each other, and the shiny parts of their leaves turn over and look like they are hiding. They are not quick to recover. They stay slumped over, sometimes even until I even consider cutting them back…but then the next time we show up at the cabin…there they are, faking it again.
Not the petunias. The petunias get wet and yes, they look a bit squashed when a large rainstorm has hit them, but when the sun gleams down, they don’t lay there all distraught, they reach for the sun, and they are back.
Now the petunias aren’t as big, beautiful and put together. They look a little scrappier, but they are more resilient. This summer down by the water, I either forgot to plant one of the petunias or an animal dug it up, but that petunia grew in the sand next to the flowerpot. Even in less than optimal living conditions, it flowered and shined in all of its petunia glory.
How quick am I to shine when I get knocked down? Am I playing like I am stronger than I am or like the petunia, when the sun comes out again, will I reach for it?
Grit is something I long to have myself and for my kids to know, because in this life the rain comes and when it does, I want us to soak up everything that God may have in it, so that when the sun comes out again…we are ready to shine.
