Sabath Rest: On Really Seeing Flowers

Nobody sees a flower, really--it's so small--we haven't time, and to see takes time...
--Georgia O'Keeffe

Recently, several of my friends have unintentionally but quite thoroughly remined me to allow space in my heart and mind and day to appreciate the gifts of life that I often take for granted. 
Recently, I came across a prayer that plays its melody in the same key.
I speak so freely of the bounties of nature in this blog.
Today, I pledge to go deeper into that gratitude that  I might make a better gift of my prayer walk:

Father,
We thank you for your creation,
for its beauty,
its variety,
its magnitude,
and its order.
We pray for all prisoners
whose surroundings blot out  the changing seasons,
prevent them from hearing bird songs,
seeing trees and flowers or
enjoying the sunshine of a bright spring day.
Touch their hearts with what they can experience
and reveal your glory to them, we pray.
Through Jesus Christ, our Lord
                           ...Amen.
--from The Lion Book of Family Prayers

Mature gratitude comes bearing a counter weight: an empathy for the heartache of others' needs;
its expression requires everything we have.
It's like forgiveness that way.

Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.  --Mark Twain

May we be ever eager to shed the fragrance of gratitude and forgiveness.