Tis the season finally for the butterflies to visit my lace cap hydrangea just outside my porch. Yesterday, I swear there were more than thirty at a time perched on the open blossoms. It is one of my favorite sights. My husband planted the bush for me. He picked it out and planted it while I was away because I’d told him that I wanted one. Yes, I am blessed.
I’ve been waiting. I knew the butterflies would appear. It was just a matter of when. I’ve waited patiently. Finally, my waiting, my patience, my hope bore fruit.
If we think about it, we are given many “butterfly visit moments” in our lives, those times for which we wait and pray. Not everything in life is instant. My sainted grandmother used to tell me often, “Patience is a virtue.” I couldn’t grasp it fully then. As an old lady myself now, I get it. Perhaps patience is a virtue that takes time to mature.
Patience is a virtue that our world could use more of right now. As I waited for my summer wonder to appear recently, I thought about that. Our world could use more patience applied early and often in our encounters and engagements with one another. We do seem to be in a very big hurry most of the time. As I drive about and people speed past me, I do wonder where they have to be so soon. I also often whisper under my breath, “You should have left home earlier.”
As I watched the butterflies flit from blossom to blossom this morning, I wondered about what we are missing because we give up too soon. I wondered about why we seem to need speed, haste, “instant” things. I wondered what our world would be like if we started valuing patience more and instant gratification less.
As I watched the butterflies flit, I also thought about my own life and other areas of it that called for patience. If I can manage it over the appearance of an insect, why can’t I challenge myself in areas that involve my loved ones? And what about in areas that involve those who challenge me? How would patience bear fruit in those moments? What would the fruit look like? What could it add to my life?
Before I left my porch after prayer, I said one more, “LORD, thank You for the incentive to be a more patient and loving person. Thank You for using one of your most fragile creatures to teach me about one of the most necessary virtues of this journey. There is no “instant” on this journey. Give me patience to endure with love because of love.”
Until tomorrow, let us all love well.
Comentários