Living Lessons: Tulips

 

 

 

 

 

I believe that there are beautiful lessons to learn from nature and one of my goals on this site is to share the lessons that I have learned with you. When my Mom passed away in late October 2020 my Dad purchased a variety of bulbs (tulips, iris, blue bonnets, allium) to plant in my Mom’s garden at the family lake house. My older brother planted the same bulbs at the family farm and I planted them at our home in the Pacific Northwest as well. Over the past several months we’ve all been sharing the growth of the bulbs at our homes and photos with one another.

This past week the tulips came into full bloom at my home with beautiful vibrant colors. I have never appreciated the beauty and symbolism of a flower more than what the tulips represent in my garden right now. These tulips are more than flowers – they represent new life, new growth, and hope for a bright and vibrant future. I also learned that tulips represent “perfect and deep love” and are given when you have a deep and unconditional love for someone. This perfectly describes the relationship I have with my Mom – it is a true gift to know and love someone so purely and so unconditionally that even the belief of death cannot sever the bond and love that we have for one another.

When a beloved family member passes it’s hard to think about the future – what could have been, what should have been, what they won’t be there for but these thoughts come from a place of fear and lack instead of love. If I stayed in this place mentally I wouldn’t be able to continue, it’s too painful. So, instead I decided to rise and find a way to celebrate the gift of her love and that’s how Grateful Heart Home & Garden was born. The inspiration for the name of this site, Grateful Heart, has been my inspiration and guide as I navigate this new chapter in life without my Mom’s physical presence. I’ve made a promise to be a “grateful heart” – to give gratitude for the time we had together, the trips and adventures we took, the wisdom and support we gave to one another, and to fill my heart full of love for her and for the good that continues to surrounds me. This is the only way I can continue forward into a life full of love, light, and truth.