Hills and Valleys

Because I sold my Gardening for Dummies book at a garage sale a few years back, I have no concept of what's growing in my backyard after we cleared out the dead stuff. These just seemed to pop up after 24 hours rain!

Thanks to the Internet, now I know. These are Lily of the Valley. I always pictured something else when I was growing up and my mom loved that perfume. Wasn't thinking tiny, delicate white bells. But they sure are pretty!

And since I was looking them up, I also learned that along with being the birth flower for May, they also mean sweetness, a return of happiness, purity of heart, you made my life complete, and protection from evil spirits.

I love that! And it is what we need right now. Especially today.

So much negative news coming out of Minneapolis right now. Murder. Riots. Looting. Fires. Racial divide. Anger. Grief.

I'm not going to get on any soapbox, but I will say that watching the video of the police officer kneeling on the gentleman's neck while he was already cuffed and begging to breathe just made me want to puke. I have no right to speak about the incident or the community reaction. I'm just going to pray for understanding and kindness and, just like the Lily of the Valley symbolizes, a return to happiness and purity of heart.

God, help us all.