“Where flowers bloom, so does hope.” – Lady Bird Johnson
I don’t know about you, but I suffer terribly from pollen allergies in the spring! Because of that, this season is one of my most difficult each year. That nasty yellow layer of dust floating in the air and covering everything in sight can be so thick at times, that it is hard to tell the true color of some outdoor objects.
There are weeks in April that I am on two, not one, but two different oral antihistamines, allergy eye drops and allergy nasal spray all at the same time. This usually helps give me some relief, but only for short periods of time. I am uncomfortable, annoyed and down right miserable with red, swollen, watery and extremely itchy eyes!
Being outside this time of year is a real struggle for me. Yet, that is exactly where I want to be! The weather is perfect. And as I’ve mentioned in previous blogs, my favorite form of exercise is walking outside.
I had this idea the other morning when I left to walk, that if I wore sunglasses and a baseball cap and essentially walked with my head down, I would be able to stop the pollen from irritating my eyes. Nope. It didn’t work. I could not avoid the irritation of the pollen.
Finally I gave up trying to avoid the pollen. I stopped and looked up. What I saw was incredible. The street was lined with beautiful pink flowering trees. The culprit of the pollen!
I realized then, had I continued looking down, trying to avoid the pollen, I would have missed the beautiful blooms.
It was then that I thought, “Although I am suffering through the irritation of the pollen now, I will be able to enjoy new blooms later!”
Wow. Isn’t that true. For it is the pollen that leads to the production of seeds that will create new plants to grow and bloom.
We all experience seasons of life that are uncomfortable and annoying. These circumstances and situations can be thought of as our “pollen”. They make us irritated and downright miserable. We lose out on a promotion at work. We are being emotionally drained in a relationship. We learn we have to move our family to a new town. An acquaintance/family member feels the need to always give unsolicited advice. We feel our morning or daily routine is full of chaos. And so on.
We often can’t avoid the “pollen”. But we can bloom because of it.
For it is during this season of discomfort that we grow and learn. We learn to speak up for ourselves or figure out what we need to do to receive the next promotion (even if that means changing jobs). We learn to end toxic relationships and set limits on others. We learn to embrace the opportunity for new beginnings. We learn to protect our time. And we learn better ways to do things to create a less chaotic day. We learn. We grow. We bloom!
Look up. Turn your eyes to God.
“I will be like the dew to Israel. It will blossom like a lily. Like the cedar trees in Lebanon, its roots will be firm. The people will be like spreading branches. They will be like the beautiful olive trees. They will be like the sweet-smelling cedars in Lebanon.” Hosea 14:5-6 (International Children’s Bible)
Don’t allow this uncomfortable season of life to discourage you. Push through it and allow the “pollen” to help you grow and bloom.
Gingersnaps 