A Reminder from a Sunflower

 This sunflower grows in front of a house on a short street not far from where we live. I have grown fond of this tidy street because several of these what used to be considered modest homes but now it seems they are worth over a million dollars, have lively pollinator friendly front gardens. These small oases encourage me to pause and give thanks as I watch the movement of bees, an occasional butterfly, and other insects as they go about their work. This morning I just had to walk down a short driveway to get a closer look at this tall, healthy sunflower taking in the bright warm sunlight. Alas, my movement did make the woman who lives there a little nervous. She stuck her head out her front door and uttered a tentative "Hello?"  While the greeting was certainly not menacing, it was not welcoming either.  I responded with my own greeting and said that I was sorry to disturb her, but I just wanted to get a closer look at her beautiful sunflower. She then opened her door further and rushed down her three front stairs and asked, "Isn't it beautiful? I am so pleased!"  I replied that she should be, and we talked for a couple of minutes more about her first effort at growing sunflowers. I think we both grew in our brief exchange because for just a little while, we were relating to one another and that meeting changed us. That is the healing that life offers. 

I see being in relationship with others (including sunflowers and other manifestations of life) as very much a part of what it means to be human, and certainly what it means to be a person of faith. There are those who want to isolate our country, supposedly in the spirit of making us stronger. However, as I have said before, I do not think that is their ultimate goal. They want us to be small and controllable. Yet, our divine birthright is that we continue to grow, to reach out, to try to mend broken relationships, and make new alliances. In other words, to be in relationship.  As we do this, we become more, not less. Together, we can ease some of the pressures on our beautiful earth. Together, all of us can heal.  

After we said our good-byes, I walked on. I remembered that years ago a friend asked me about my photography.  She questioned, "Don't you worry that your neighbors find your behavior a little strange?"  As I turned towards home I smiled and thought that I would rather be considered strange than small.    

Let us vote expansively this year. I believe voting big can help the world breathe a little easier. Let us always have more confidence in our wisdom than in our fear. Let us make room for children to breathe and grow.

 This is the wisdom of sunflowers.  

   

       

image: San Leandro, August 2024