Endurance

Once, I had a lovely orchid collection. They grew wedged into the trunk of a thick cabbage palm near the edge of our driveway. The palm was right near a water spigot and under a pine tree so it was the perfect combination of shade and moisture. The plants grew prolifically and almost all year round boasted beautiful rainbow colored spikes of flowers against the dull brown of the palm. Then, husband got a wild hair about the palm. Even though they are our state’s native tree, he hates them for the mess fallen fronds make and the way that they take over pushing fences or other trees out of their way. He decided that the palm was going to knock over the water spigot and rather than dig up the pipes, he tore out the tree. Thankfully, I saw what he was doing in time and rescued my orchids placing them into orchid bark in clay pots and hanging them on chains from a large oak tree. But, they have not thrived there. I do not know if they get too much sun in the late afternoon as the sun lowers or if the tree does not allow enough dew to fall on the plants, but many of the orchids have died and most are shriveled up into pruney stalks. They are so high in the tree that I hardly see them and rarely give them care. One pot even fell in a windstorm last summer and still lies on the ground at the base of the tree. I rarely have any blossoms any more.

This week has been an incredibly stressful and busy one. I worked late three nights and brought home work to do in the evenings as well. I trained volunteers, facilitated a team building retreat for some of our staff, worked at Teen Court, lobbied for funding at a grant hearing for Citizens Review, spoke to the historical society and interviewed some people for interpretation materials about one of our historical sites. On “Take Your Child To Work Day,” I took fortyof my co-workers’ children on a historical walking tour of downtown and helped with a mock trail where they solved the mystery of Humpty Dumpty’s death. I have been so tired every night that I can hardly drag myself out of the car to come inside and cook dinner, do laundry and sweep the floors that I regularly do each evening. In spite of my exhaustion, one night I caught a glimpse of white hanging from the big oak tree. It was an orchid cheerfully encouraging me. In spite of the Spanish moss covering half the plant and the lack of care it has suffered, it brightened my day with its beauty. Even in the midst of the worst times, if we open our eyes, we will see evidence that God still cares for us. Like the orchid in its tangle of moss, I, too can shine despite difficult circumstances.