Learning to See | Keeping Hope Alive

Even though I gave up running several years ago, I still walk up this hill occasionally and along this sidewalk. And just like they were ten years ago when I shared this blog post, (ten years!!!) these little flowers are still growing up in the cracks…still blooming…still making me happy…still offering the world hope.

As a Christian, Hope is one of the three theological virtues. And without getting too esoteric about it, basically, what that means for me is that I have entrusted my life to God. And Hope is that trust extended into the future. Now that doesn’t mean I am expecting that nothing bad will happen because of my faith and hope in God. But rather, I trust that God will sustain me through my trials. Hope is not faith in certain circumstances. Hope is trust in my relationship with God. 

Like it was when I shared this post before, anytime I share my faith in this sort of heavy-handed way I always lose a few blog subscribers. Which is so surprising to me because I don’t think my faith has ever been a big secret. But here’s the thing you need to know about me…more than any camera lens or piece of equipment, my faith in God is the lens through which I see my life. And my sincere hope is that this blog post brings you as much comfort and peace as it always has for me.

So this past Saturday I went for a run. And because it’s Spring, and because it’s Oklahoma that means the wind blows. As was the case this past Saturday. Now the only reason I’m telling you this is because, depending on from which direction the wind is blowing – north or south (basically the only way the wind blows around here) – I will determine the route for my run. I guess I should add here that I prefer to run into the wind heading out, when I have the most energy, and have the wind to my back on my way home.

Well so Saturday the wind was blowing pretty hard out of the south so I decided to run down the trail and then back up Riverside. Which I know you probably have no idea what that means, but suffice it to say, that particular route meant at the very end I was going to have to run uphill. Which I hate. But I hate running into the wind along Riverside worse. So it was the lesser of two evils.

Now this particular uphill stretch is a street that is kind of run down. And I don’t mean as in unsafe (my mom would have a cow if it was). It’s just an old neighborhood with old houses in varying stages of renovation. The sidewalks are in bad shape and some of the yards are kind of overgrown, but with the exception of it being a long, steep hill…I don’t know…there’s something kind of charming about it.

Anyway, as I started making my way uphill (I swear no matter which way I run, it’s always uphill all the way home), I happened to be looking down so as to not break my ankle on the sweet gum balls that were scattered everywhere. And then I noticed that there were spiderwort flowers coming up everywhere in the sidewalk.

Literally, these little purple flowers where coming up out of every crack in the sidewalk.

They were even coming up in the cracks of these broken stairs.

And you know…something about it just spoke to my world-weary soul. And all the way home I was thinking about this – how even in the midst of this run-down, broken-down sidewalk, there could be something so sweet and so beautiful.

Now without sounding too ‘out there’, it’s not as if this little flower knew I would be running by and decided to bloom to make me happy. Because oh my gosh this little flower just made me so happy. No, this little flower is here growing and blooming because that is its sole (soul?) purpose – grow, bloom, make seeds. And repeat. Just keep on keeping on. Even in the midst of less than ideal conditions.

Like I said, I was thinking about this all the way home. How even in the midst of this often seemingly, broken-down world there is still so much beauty to share. But it’s up to us to continue to grow and bloom. To persevere. Even in less than ideal conditions. And we have to share it. You and me.

And don’t even try to tell me that you don’t have anything beautiful to share. Because whether it’s your photos or your art. Or your voice or your music. You have something beautiful to share. Or maybe it’s your beautiful smile or your witty sense of humor. Or maybe it’s your compassionate heart or strong arms. Even if it’s your intellect or your strong work ethic….you have something beautiful to share.

It doesn’t matter if what you have to share is refined and pedigreed and you have a great stage on which to share it with the world. Or rather, if yours is humble and ordinary and self-taught and sits in a tiny corner of the interwebs. Whatever beauty you have to share….share it. Right where you are. Even if it’s not perfected yet. Even if you are unsure. I beg you. I implore you. I beseech you. Share it. Because you have it and the world so desperately needs it.

I have to confess that this kind of pushy blog post is not my normal thing. And I just want to state for the record that I am not so naive to think that a little flower can change the world or prevent bombers from bombing. But just maybe, it might make the world a teeny bit better. Maybe keep hope alive. And I think that’s a good enough place to start.

Love, Kelly