I saw a flower one morning growing out of a crack in the sidewalk. It was a remarkable sight. The flower was perfect. A little, winsome petunia. Somehow it had sprung forth from a seed that had fallen in a crack between the sidewalk and the granite curb. The flower could hardly be in a more precarious spot. Obviously, it would not be long before the flower was trampled or mowed down. The flower was such an instance of accidental and not-for-long beauty that I had to stop and admire it on my way to the train.
The little boy in me wanted to save it somehow. The adult in me knew I had to let it go. Part of growing up is accepting you can’t save all the at risk petunias you come across in this world. Still, I wished I could just save that moment. I took a picture and then caught the train to work. I wondered how long the flower would survive and whether I would see it again. Then I put it out of my mind as I became preoccupied with the worries of the day.
Getting off the train that evening, I remembered the little flower and wondered if it survived the day. I decided to check on it on the walk home. With great suspense and expectation I rounded the corner of the street where the petunia had sprouted and there it was. The little flower had survived another day. I went home happy.
A few days passed before I had the opportunity to check on the flower again. Unfortunately and not surprisingly, it was gone. I felt just a slight touch of sadness because I knew this outcome was inevitable. Still, I was glad I had learned an important life lesson before I crossed paths with that little petunia:
Transient and fragile beauty must be appreciated in the moment.
Copyright 2019 Christopher Donahue