It has happened again: the flowers on the redbuds and dogwoods have faded. I always feel sad when this happens! a friend said the other day. But deep in the forest, nestled by the stream, the umbrella magnolias are carrying the torch for them.
When I first saw their magnificent buds in bloom a few years ago, I thought it was a flock of doves. I crept slowly towards the forest, certain I would scare off the birds, then realized they were not birds at all. I stood there in a bit of disbelief, as I had never seen anything like them.
Had I not noticed the flicker of white as the sun was setting I would surely have missed them. There is no sound to announce their arrival, but interestingly their scent is quite pungent. A good reminder that nature has its own fanfare.
On any single tree, there may be hundreds of flowers in various states of blooming. All in their own time and in their own way. No two buds are exactly alike. I sometimes forget that’s the case with everything in nature.
I always feel peace is possible when I see the flowers of the umbrella magnolia looking like doves, or hands reaching towards the sky with hope.
~ KB