The Stems

We are all moved or touched in some way by the vision of such a vibrant and delicate flower. It catches our eyes and we can smell its sweet fragrance and delight in its pure beauty. Rarely do we feel such awe about its stem. How often do we look at the stem of such a beautiful flower?

The stem seems to blend in with the other plain green stems holding up the other magnificent colors. What’s so special about a stem that we are missing anyway, you might be thinking?

The stem is what holds God’s crystal clear nature in place so that it may be seen. The stem is hidden because it is not suppose to be the center of the attention. It is there to serve a purpose. The purpose is to propel that flower closer to the sun. That stem provides a connection to its very foundation of life to the roots and the rich soil below. Without the stem the flower would be dead.
We shine, we are noticed by others for our beauty and the talents we exude from within, from the God given talents we are born with. However, if it were not for those who hold us up without fan fare we would fall. If it were not for the roots that reach deep beneath the surface that provide the nutrients we need to live, we would die. Most of the time in this life it appears that our “success” was earned alone. On the outside it looks like no one else helped us to shine so brilliantly. In reality there has always been a stem to push us to the light, to the source of our life and dreams. Sometimes the stem is our parents or our spouse. Many times the stem is more than one person but all those who have loved us and encouraged us throughout our life’s journey. Those people who have guided us and encouraged us to follow our dreams and pushed us past the “regular” life into the place we were meant to grow.

The roots connected to the stem which provide our foundation are numerous as well. Every experience we have come through has given us a more deeply rooted belief. The rich soil is the love of God through the love of others. The soil is never ending. It covers all the earth. The foundation provided is forgotten when one glances at the blossoming flower and it is to be expected.

Our foundation, our parents, our families, our spouses, our friends have taught us values, beliefs and love that have and will continue to aid us in our search for the light and our constant growth into who we are to become.

Look at the stem and ponder who the stems in your life are?