WINDBLOWN

The flower and I seemed to have something in common that day. Each of us was at the street’s edge, feeling the effects of being windblown: the flower by the wind of nature and I through the wind of words that, in my eyes, were hurtful.

The desert willow blossom reminded me of how I had been feeling: created to add beauty to the world, but plucked from my place, forced to face a different life than I ever imagined.

Though this flower was one of many the wind had carelessly blown aside, so far it had managed to stay separate. The way the wind was blowing, that wouldn’t last much longer. The curb already had an amazing number of the fallen flowers in its collection.


As I looked at them I was reminded of a lesson I once heard from my dad. Someone had spoken an untruth about him. Another came and told him about it. Daddy, being a man of few words, explained quickly that the person spreading rumors would do well to go back and gather up the bag of feathers he’d just released into the wind!

“…For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil.
But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." (Matthew 12:34b-37 NASB)

Whether we are discussing gossip or truth, words that hurt are like those feathers or the fallen flowers in the wind: IMPOSSIBLE to pick up and put back! Better never said.


A closer look at the cast-off flowers brought a reminder that even in the midst of destruction and damage, God is ever present. Mixed in with the petals and leaves, was one tiny, bright white bird feather, a shout-out to me that since God doesn’t even miss the fall of a bird, He has never missed any of my heart-hurts. “Are you not worth much more than they?” (Matthew 6:26b NASB)

“Yes, Father, Thank You for Your uplifting words of love, Your heart-hugs.”

A little later, I was walking in the same area where I’d first seen the blown-down desert willow blossom. Once again, the wind caused the fallen flower to come dancing towards me with what appeared to be an attitude of absolute joy. I plucked the perky flower from the ground, brought it home, and placed it in a small bowl of water to preserve its life a little longer.


I believe I saw a smile on its little face. What do you think?

I know God put a smile on mine!

© Marilyn Sue (Libby) Moore 5-12-2011