It was later than usual when we headed out for our Sunday evening stroll. Certainly there was some grumbling as we zipped up our warmer jackets and pulled our collars close against the chilly breeze.
Despite the calendar reading May 1st it felt more like early October and the joyful calls of the Canadian Geese overhead only added to the autumn feel.
Perhaps it was due to the lessening day light or just the tiredness we each carried after a long day but without discussion we turned toward the “short cut” through the woods. The melody of the Sydenham River carried us over tree roots and around the bare bushes.
Looking upward I scoured the bare trees begging for any sign of spring be it a bud, a nest or better yet, a tiny new leaf. I was disappointed. That is until we came around a small bend and beside the trail, among the decaying leaves and small sprouts of grass we discovered them.
They were congregated in a graceful silence as though praying the very promise they represented. I gasped and my husband turned back, he too bent down and together we were held in awe by their delicate beauty.
Each tiny new trillium proudly held out three leaves in a curtsy and they stretched tall displaying their curled up petals with pride, as if to say, “Look here, look here! We are about to do something magical!”
It was a sight to behold. The promise of new life can be held back by cool breezes and stubborn snowfall but it cannot be stopped entirely. As Martin Luther wrote, “Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime.”
We snapped photos wanting to capture this moment. Of course nothing can truly capture the wonder we each felt deep within; a reverence of God’s finer things. These moments are fleeting, filling us with an awe that spurs us onward while also filling us with an undeniable awareness of God’s divine presence.
Held by their charm we lingered until the day light was almost a whisper on the horizon. We returned home trusting in their magic, knowing at just the right moment their beauty would carpet the forest.
May God’s beauty also take you by surprise.
