Gone so soon….

Day 3 Full bloom~~

It looked nothing like the tulips we saw in stores.
The petals grew in different directions and transform into these wild shapes, thriving with life…
The colors looked like last rays of sunshine burning through the clouds right before sunset.
This glorious flower made everything else in the room look insipid in comparison. Objects around it quickly faded into the background.

Day 4 Taking a line from “the blade runner”, “The light that burns twice as bright burns for half as long – and you have burned so very, very brightly…..”

These last couple days had been unusually warm, too warm for tulips. From the way it looked last night, we knew it reached the pinnacle point. We hurried and took pictures even though the lightening from the lamp was completely uncomplimentary.
I put it back outside the next morning.
By the time we got home, the flower had already turned brittle and dry.

Day 5 Gone in the wind….
The flower was completely gone. Only the stem was left. We looked near and around the patio for traces of the petals and found nothing. I felt the rough wind on my face, and gave up on the search.

After thoughts…
We planted two seeds back in December. After three months of staring at the blank surface of nothing but brown dirt, we saw the first sign of green in February. After that, I woke up every morning and found it bigger and taller. This Monday, it burst into a flower . Five days later, we found ourselves starting at an empty stem again.

I watered my much neglected, leafy, non flowering, yet long lasting plant today, and thought about that age old question, “Is it better to burn out or fade away?”

I ran through these pale green leaves with my hands. They may not look as lavishing as tulips, but at least I can put my hands on them. Ha!

Well, see you next year tulips!