Face to the Sun

 

“Sunflowers end up facing the sun, but they go through a lot of dirt to find their way there.”

― J.R. Rim

Every year, whether I intend it or not, I inevitably have a crop of sunflowers grow in my garden. I'm not even sure where the first sunflower came from, but I'm guessing it grew from the birdseed I put out. The following spring, this seed grew into a plant. And the plant, of course, grew a flower. And the flower grew more seeds. We all know this cycle. 

I love birds. And the birds love the sunflowers. So the birds eat the seeds, but not all of them. One or two (or more) always fall back into the dirt, and the next spring, I have more sunflowers than the year before. And the birds, well, they have more seed to eat. It's an amazing cycle that gives me beautiful flowers, attracts my favorite feathered friends, ultimately with very little effort required on my part.

This year, I had a vision of a wall of sunflowers growing next to my porch, blocking the view from the street. I was sure this wall of plants would succeed- after all, the sunflowers grew without any fuss at the lower end of my garden. I bought seeds, hoping for a variety of sunny faces. Big ones. Colored ones. I wanted them all. I planted them and watered them and waited. And waited. And waited. 

I watched as the sunflowers I did not plant sprouted and grew strong to the sun. Taller and taller. And still... my seeds were dormant. Finally, I began to see signs of life. Little sprouts. I continued to water and wait. 

It's now nearing the end of September. Very few of my planted seeds grew tall- and some of them never got the chance to bloom thanks to the passing mule deer who took off their heads as a snack. The sunflowers the birds planted are pecked nearly clean- the chickadees and goldfinches come every day to polish them off. 

My wall of sunflowers did not turn out at all as I imagined. But I do have this: 

This sunflower is taller than I am, even standing on my porch. It is covered with heads that have yet to open, 360 degrees around the stem. And this beautiful face greets me every day when I walk out the front door. Only one. And yet this one has been such an encouragement to me during the last few weeks. 

It's been a season of changes, and I don't just mean the seasons. There have been days when I am completely overwhelmed and wonder if and how we are going to make it. It sounds so dramatic writing it out. Ultimately, I know we will make it. It will be ok. As long as I remember the lesson of the sunflower.

Keep your face to the sun. 

This flower knows where it's life comes from. It needs warmth to attract the bees to pollenate the flower to create more flowers. It needs light to grow taller and stronger and withstand the winds that come and blow it. It needs the light to feed the leaves that feed the roots and grow them deep. It knows where to look.

In the same way, I must know where my life comes from. Keep my face to the Son. Where my help comes from. Where I turn to get the strength and courage and feed the roots and grow them deep. I know where to look. 

So if today is a dark day, and you can't see a way out, I want to remind you what the sunflower taught me. 

Keep your face to the Son.