And I smiled there on the rainy path, just grateful for the those May flowers.
See, normally I wouldn't have noticed them. Normally, I would be surrounded by May flowers and oblivious to their complex beauty.
But this year is different. My city had a crazy winter. It was only about a week ago that the seemingly permanent snow-plowed mountain of snow in the driveway of our local pizza place finally disappeared. May flowers are still rare here.
Waiting so long for those flowers multiplied my appreciation of their beauty.
In a culture of instant gratification, I think we've forgotten about the joy in anticipation. There is a sense of pleasure in waiting for a good thing. Yes, there is a longing but there's also an increase of joy and gratitude at a thing.
I would not have taken as much joy in those library flowers if not for a cruel winter.
This life here is a sort of permanent waiting room. Along with creation we groan in anticipation (Rom. 8:19) of something better. We live in winter, but spring is coming.
C.S. Lewis uses that picture in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The land was under the rule of evil and it was "always winter but never Christmas." But when the King, Aslan, returned, he brought spring.
If you are going through difficulty or discouragement or suffering, take heart. One day soon perfect joy is coming. One day soon, Jesus is returning to right the wrongs here, to take His bride to everlasting, undiminishing glory.
And right now we have the privilege and the pleasure of waiting in anticipation for that day. It's winter, but May flowers are coming.
Photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons and Susanne Nilsson.