The cosmos have finally appeared. Along with small purple asters, these late-bloomers have waited all Spring and all Summer before showing their true-and-beautiful colors. In one case—the cosmos—lush greenery had announced only the general health of this flower. In the other case—the asters—these tall plants stood anonymously in the middle of what we thought were prairie weeds, without a hint of what they might become. In both cases, these slow-to-blossom beauties tempted our natural urge to tear out non-productive plants. My wife and I waited—perhaps with some intuition about the mysteries of plant growth—and so have been rewarded with these late-in-season blooms. When other plant varieties have come to the end of their life cycles, these late arrivals are just now gracing our welcoming eyes with their beauty.
I’m pretty sure that Chris and I are also late-bloomers.
At this early-autumn stage in life, we’re finding the energy to engage in political work. I’m not sure how “beautiful” this personal blossoming might be. But I am hopeful that we can fulfill some part of God’s will by engaging in campaigns that promote the greater good. Or that help defeat those who work against what’s righteous and just. We’re finding places where our life experiences can be brought to bear on the dynamics of voter turnout, campaign messaging, persuasion and empathy. Our spiritual cores—including the gifts of the Spirit—have proven to be invaluable assets in navigating what can be turbulent and tempting currents of thought and behavior.
I’m grateful that we have not been discarded or disregarded and that all those years of personal and spiritual development are proving useful for what is now front-and-center for our life.
I’m grateful—and excited—that we are late-bloomers!
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