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Carol M Davis's avatar

Thank you for this…a welcome balance to all we are reading.

To notice the small beauty in the midst of despair.

I focused on the strong forward walking of our Vice President

as she strode forward to heroically and majestically fulfill her task

of certifying the defeat of the election.

But she did not act defeated as she fulfilled her oath to the Constitution.

She embodied a strong moral compass….a rose amidst the thorns.

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PAT's avatar

Related to cold, there is a beautiful song called “Witch Hazel”. The plant blooms “bright yellow flowers in the middle of wintertime. And tell myself be strong, like the Witch Hazel Flower, and you will not be injured by this dark and troubled time”.

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Jessie Schut's avatar

I've been lollygagging along for a while, seemingly purposeless. I decided to blog about it. Now I see that lollygagging -- inching along -- has its beauty, too. It is when we lollygag that we may finally be quiet and still enough to hear and to see new horizons. Thanks for this reminder. I'm now going to check out the hellebore in my garden.

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Michiyo Hashimoto's avatar

Hi Thank you so beautiful , love hellebore this time of year and which hazel in spring , sometimes missing these changes , need to be more aware of them

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NANCY TELECH's avatar

This is a pearl of wisdom and I love it. Beautiful !! Great reminder that we do not have to wait for perfection to bloom. Thank you for sharing it.

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Clare's avatar

Where can we read a bit more about Madelon please?

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Janice Airhart's avatar

"All they're waiting for is someone to see." Lovely. That's the wonder of nature. It's always splendid. We just need to see. Thank you for this.

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Jeannine's avatar

Thank you, Barbara. I need to be reminded that beauty is all around us. I live in Victoria, BC (we have a mutual friend here) and even here, where daffodils, croci, and the delicate Anna’s Hummingbird are surrounding us in January, I need to be reminded to look for and be present for these little, precious, epiphanies.

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Ann Utke's avatar

Thank you for writing again and so generously sharing your gifts of thoughts and spirit….we are so helped by what you offer! 💕

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Korie's avatar

Epiphanies come in many forms… through something said to us at just the right time, through a dream, through words read in a book, and yes, often through nature. All of life is mystical allegory!

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D Nordean's avatar

After reading this I had to go check my hellebore garden and sure enough there they were. In the midst of the “polar vortex “ they remained hidden and frozen to the ground. I knew they would survive. They are now covered in 3” of snow & much needed moisture. I am reminded they too are one of the many altars in the world. Thank you for words that open my spirit.

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Trish Wallis Stone's avatar

What a great story! Hellebores are lifting their heavy blooms in the PNW too.

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Jackie Knapp's avatar

This is so beautiful! I love a flower origin story. This one is a keeper.

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Luke Leisman's avatar

Thank you for this leaf-adorned gift!

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Karen Slack's avatar

With grace, the earth keeps giving!

It’s lovely to hear your voice again through your writing. So glad to find you here!💕

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Lori Z.'s avatar

beautiful, thank you for this.

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