An unexpected gift from a friend in Ottawa brought a huge smile to my face
as I opened the parcel and discovered a package of “Canada 150 Tulip” bulbs … the official tulip of Canada’s 150th anniversary.
I excitedly planted the bulbs and eagerly awaited their beautiful white bloom with red flames that would remind me of Canada’s Maple Leaf Flag and the Netherlands which gifted Canada with 100,000 tulip bulbs in 1945 as a postwar gift of gratitude for the role that Canadian soldiers had played in the liberation of the Netherlands in WW11. They would be a constant reminder of the birthplace of my DH, Hans van der Werff.
This morning, the tulip blooms began to appear on the tulips in the front yard and I was excited! I immediately took their photo and planned a daily journal of the tulips to send to my Ottawa friend so she could see how they were growing. I came home this afternoon eager to see if the tulips had opened. I don’t know if they had or had not because the plants had been cut. Who would do that? Why would they do that?
Though I try to make sense of this senseless act I realize that I cannot. And perhaps that’s what lies at the crux of much of the angst in the world. We cannot make sense out of insensitive acts that lead to confusion, suffering, broken trust. We cannot make sense out of unkind people who only look out for their needs and their wants without consideration of the consequences of their actions on others.
I wanted to react at this insensitive act. I wanted to confront the unkind person who did this. Instead, I made a cup of Crystal Tea and decided to blog about it all. I could have gone for a walk around the block – if it hadn’t started to rain and the temperature hadn’t quickly dropped. I could have headed into the tub with the book I’m reading – if it had at least been 8:00 pm and a little closer to bedtime. I could have made time to meditate or pray or …
I needed to de-stress and having ways to de-stress from the little and bigger things in life is important to our emotional well-being. We don’t have to have the same or even similar ways to de-stress each time. But it’s important that we do … “have ways”.
Text and Photos © June Maffin
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Truly, what a senseless, unkind act that was. I was appalled that someone intentionally did this. First of all, I’m glad you have a picture and also happy that you put it all into perspective by blogging and sharing with us all. I don’t know what would possess a person, but how you reacted was just the thing we all need.
Thanks for your message in the midst of the turmoil and strife. We can choose our actions and reactions to the things around us which happen. Hopefully, your message will reach those who really need it.
I so often try to make sense out of the senseless.
Thank you for reminding I can’t.