I wrote a blog titled 'Fake Plants'. I was thinking again about fake plants but this time I was thinking about real plants too. I like real plants. I like Hydrangea flowers, wild sunflowers, large acacia trees, large any tree and sometimes even dandelions. The thing that crossed my mind was that I desire something real but at the same time there is a big difference between reality and roses.
I am 21 years old now. I know that is not old and that I am just at the start of my adult life. My sister told me once that 20's are hard. I did not really put much thought into it when she said it but I am finding that she was right. This is the time in life where you set the foundations to a certain degree for the rest of your life. That seems like a pretty significant task. The more I dig into life and see what this whole living thing is all about, the more I realize life is not always roses. Nope, it is reality. It is disappointing sometimes. Disappointing that adults struggle with the same things that teenagers do. Disappointing that it all gets more complicated. Disappointing that people are still starving (in all senses of the word). Disappointing that I still can not seem to be the person I desire to be, and disappointing that life is not rainbows and chocolates. That seems like a whole lot of disappointment.
Now why is that way? I want reality but reality seems to let me down sometimes. My dad once said that in some ways the quality of life for people measures down to how they deal with disappointment (however he said it much more eloquently). I think there is a lot of truth in that. Life can be hard, so how do we deal with it?
I mentioned dandelions earlier. They seem to make their way into our lives the same what reality tends to strike. No one really loves dandelions after the point at which they no longer are good candidates for picking for your mother. They are a weed. However, have you ever looked at a lawn that is nicely speckled with yellow dandelions. Although they are ill-intended (if that is a word) there is something slightly lovely about them. How can it be that something that seems to cause so much trouble can actually have a hint of beauty to it? I think it can. I think it does. I think it is the same in life. We live in a cursed world, full of hardship and struggle. But none the less a loving God has still given us grace and hope. I see it all the time in the beautiful things all around. Reality may strike, but look around you! The world is filled with beauty! I desire to hang on to the one who created all the beauty, the one who wont lie to me about what life really has to offer.
I am having trouble in my mind pulling all these thoughts together. Perhaps I am missing the punchline. I think what I am trying to say is, I still don't like fake plants. I still want is reality. In the difficulty it I still want to find hope and beauty. Maybe, I should learn to enjoy the dandelions.
p.s. I hope that made sense but I feel like maybe it did not. Those who know me know that this is the story of my life.