BERNIE CUEVAS
Stop to smell the flowers finds a deeper meaning as the lockdown due to the coronavirus stretches on. For me, quarantine started on March 14. These are weeks of alternating busyness, deep prayer periods, online masses and recollections, sad news, good news, disturbing news, encouraging news, family news.
This was also my time to discover each co-missionary online, which I hardly had time for when we were still meeting face to face or listening to what is in the heart in their posts, emojis, images, and messages that are posted. How precious this lockdown is turning out to be.
This afternoon after the business part of my day, I went out to my blessed balcony, God’s gift. Knowing how I need to feel one with nature, He gave my family a modest home with a little balcony and a patch of pot garden and sky to ponder God’s creation.
Today, smelling the flowers meant appreciating the various stages of fruiting my “kalamansi” (Philippine lime) and eggplant and how buds bloom into flowers. Appreciating that to bear fruit, the flower has to wilt and die first, much like what is happening now.
My life was like a flower in full bloom. But now that flower has to wilt slowly and eventually die to give way to a new me. A better, kinder, more mindful, more patient, more self-aware, and more caring, growing into more virtues of holiness. And I pray that this new fruit will be pleasing to the Lord.
And when the time comes for me to see him face to face, may I be able to hear the words I long to hear… well done my faithful servant….
2 Corinthians 5:17
Whoever is in Christ is a new creation. The old things have passed away; Behold, new things have come.
Wonderful reflection Mr. Cuevas! Sets me to thinking of my own full bloom, to wilting, to dying, to growing, to blooming…..And the Lord makes all things beautiful once again.
I much enjoyed this reflection. I am less organized, but a little yard work helps me to focus and thank God for my life and god family, job, home and church.
Blessing are here every day if we wish to look. Thank you.
Mr. Cuevas, your reflection struck a chord — I, too, “need to feel one with nature”. My favorite part of our condo is a small balcony where we have been able to grow kalamansi, rosal and basil in pots. The view clear across to the Sierra Madres is incredible — and each morning I begin my day at sunrise in thankfulness for God’s bounty and blessings.
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