Tulips, simplifying, and being charitable...

I have blogged about The Daffodil Principle before, but it keeps coming to the forefront of my mind.... seems like everyone I have talked to today, in business or in my family or even myself have reasons to apply this to their particular situations.

Either to simplify, or to be steadfast, or to have faith, or identifying and knowing who you are...

The tulip bulbs, and memories of going to see the tulip fields in Western Washington really makes me think of spring.

I recently read more on the beautiful fields of tulips from the story.

Every year, high in the San Bernardino mountain range of Southern California, five acres of beautiful daffodils burst into bloom. Amazingly, this special spot, known as "The Daffodil Garden," was planted by one person, Gene Bauer, one bulb at a time, beginning in 1958.
The Willow Fire of 1999 destroyed the Bauer's A-frame home, its surrounding shady trees and garden. Miraculously, the daffodil bulbs beneath the ground survived.

I have some of my own tulips coming up in my yard, and they were planted by the man we bought our house from in memory of his wife. I didn't know her, just her name, they didn't have any kids, but he always talked about her the few times we met with him. And his words were always so loving and kind, and she loved gardening, the bookshelves in our house were full of her gardening books, so I imagine her like the lady in this story. And I think about her and the love he felt for her in this house... every year when they bloom.

I am sure we leave impressions on people we may never even know about, even lasting impressions that live on in memory after we are gone, like in these tulips.

But I am surprised sometimes to think we leave these impressions even on people we may not know, or be friends or family with. It really makes me think about how I carry myself, and how I feel about myself and how I portray that to others around me.

I heard this saying the other day...

"When you are down and feeling sick, do something for someone else... really quick!"

and even though when you are down, the very last thing you feel like doing is being charitable.

I know, that when I have charity in my heart, it lifts me up, and I am no longer down.

I am not sure how all of this rambling ties together...

I guess for today this is how my thoughts go.