Iris Inspiration

Love always remains.

Yesterday after work, I was standing at my kitchen sink, rinsing some dishes, when a glimpse of yellow caught my eye. As I took a closer look, I could see that my yellow irises were blooming. I was thrilled and I rushed outside to examine them and snap some photos.

Yellow irises blooming in the spring time may not seem like anything special, but those particular yellow irises have a history, and hold some wonderful memories for me.

My maternal grandmother died the month before I was born, so I never got to know her. My granddaddy later met a woman everyone called Kittie. Although she wasn’t related to me by blood, she became a grandmother to me. She had no children of her own, but she and I formed a bond that lasted until God called her home.

She and I exchanged letters every week when I was in college and I would visit her when I went home. She was at my high school graduation and was seated as my grandmother at my wedding. She was one of the first people to visit when my babies were born.

She loved to grow things, but irises were her favorite. She entered different varieties every year in a flower show. She would sometimes lament that a cold snap killed her best ones. But, one year, one of her yellow ones, named, Money, won the prize. She was so proud and I was thrilled for her.

After she passed, I was visiting with her sister and I asked her if she minded if I dug up some of Kittie’s irises to plant at my house. She readily agreed and I drug my hubby and a shovel, over to the very overgrown yard. We had no idea what types we were digging up because they were way past blooming.

We took them home and planted them and to my dismay, they didn’t bloom the following spring. I bought a little cat with angel wings that reminded me of her and placed it in the bed. The next spring, just in time for my birthday, the irises bloomed and to my delight, the were the Money, variety.

It was if I had received a birthday gift from heaven. So, yesterday, when I saw that Money, was once again blooming, I dropped everything and went to take a picture and to give thanks that even thought those we hold dear are sometimes no longer with us physically, their love remains with us forever.

Some yellow irises reminded me that when it’s our time to go, we can’t choose what we take with us, but we can choose what we leave behind. Those irises inspire me to leave as much love and beauty in my wake as I possibly can. Perhaps you needed reminding today too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂