This month, some of our vestry members are writing about relationships in their lives. Click here to read the recent vestry resolution on Kingdom Relationships.

Recently, in the middle of the night, I awoke to a thought. How excited I am when someone brings me a bouquet of spring flowers. As I hold them in my hand, I survey the sweet bundle through touch, smell, and limited sight (as a person with low vision). I marvel at the brilliant colors, shapes, and textures framed by various shades of green.

But, what about the even greater gift that God has given me? People; my neighbors. Can I approach them as a marvelous bouquet of flowers that is presented to me? Can I look on the variety of people who will cross my path with the same awe and wonder? If I delight in exploring my flowers to uncover their uniqueness, might I approach my neighbor similarly? The answer is yes, yes and yes.

That same night, I also reflected on the life of my great great grandmother, as a slave in her master’s home. I must admit that my eyes watered a bit when I thought of her limited choices. I wondered if she had any choice at all. She may have been grateful that she was in the house and not the field, that her children biologically linked to her master would perhaps keep them from being taken from her. Or, she simply sought to survive. I found her in the census in the late 1800s after slavery had ended and she was still in the home. Shame may have kept her there, but I will never know. I paused to talk to and pray for her, thanking her for her sacrifice and resilience. I hoped that my life, as it is, would make her proud. My prayers of understanding also included my great great grandfather. He is after all, a part of my heritage.

I have observed that flowers bloom side by side and radiate brilliance as one, but are individually their own unique composition. The same can be said of the trees in a forest or the grass on a lawn. We too are designed to radiate as one; to come together in union; to love each other as He loves us.

My spiritual journey now has a deeper sense of purpose. While I have always delighted in the differences among people, I am moved to make this an even more mindful endeavor. Each day, as I greet people on my morning walk, and engage with those who are both a joy and sometimes a challenge, I will reflect a bit more on each – understanding the awe, the beauty and the wonder that they are, as I add them to my bouquet. For we are all in God’s hand.

I pray that the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, and the love of God guide us to the fruits of the spirit.

God bless you!

Cynthia