Planting and Nurturing New Beginnings

Last fall I moved to a new home. One of my first tasks was to plant daffodil bulbs outside my bedroom window. Why? Because the daffodil symbolizes rebirth and new beginnings. 

Native to Europe, these flowers are now found in temperate climates all around the world. Bulbs planted in the fall wait until spring to burst into bloom with bright yellow blossoms that offer cheerful hope that the cold, dark days of winter are ending.

I recently discovered a daffodil-lover’s paradise that infused me with the much needed spirit of spring. MJ and John Gray of Oakwood, Ohio, USA, love those bright yellow daffodils. In 2006 they planted 40,000 bulbs to bring life to the front of their 10-acre property. Those bulbs blossomed into a magnificent display and also began a tradition in their lives and community. 

Today hundreds of thousands of daffodils bloom in their yard each spring. And, each fall they plant 10,000 to 20,000 new bulbs to compensate for areas that were washed out or declined from the forces of nature. MJ and John explained their extensive efforts throughout the years to adjust the slopes to mediate water flow and enhance the viewing area. They have also brought in bulb experts and even tried to use grow lights to stimulate better growth. 

In the end, MJ has peacefully resigned herself that the flowers will do what the flowers will do. They can’t control the outcome, she says, but they can keep planting. She guesses they have planted well over 200,000 daffodils by now. That is a commitment to fostering a culture of growth. In this small corner of the world, their continued efforts bring hope and new beginnings for a whole community.

MJ’s wisdom is planted deep in my own soul. We can’t control the outcome, but we can keep planting. That’s true of so much in life. And with life, as with daffodils, the results are not immediate. It takes many months and a long, cold winter’s wait for the promised daffodil blooms to appear. Likewise, many of the most precious blossoms of relationships, education, and personal growth take time too.

This year I only had a handful of daffodils bloom outside my window, but they brought me delight and hope for new growth. 

What can you plant and nurture in your life to bring new beginnings?