Mother Nature is getting everything ready for Winter. I passed a garden and saw these dried elements. I walked right past then turned around to get a closer look. My first reaction was that they had reached the end and were all dried up. Then I took a second look, a closer look and could appreciate their beauty. They do not look as they did during the beauty of summer; they bring a different look to the garden now that they are dry. They exemplify the colors of fall, the transition to cooler weather and the reminder that everything has a season. When I took a closer look I was reminded that beauty isn’t aways comprised of bright colors and beautiful blooms. Beauty exists in all the stages of the garden, and each stage serves to remind us that there is hope at all times of the year.

I talked to a friend who is near the end of her career, and she is talking about retirement. She questions what she has to offer as she nears the end of her time at work. This dried bud reminded me that people at all stages of life have beauty to offer. They have value, skills, and they bring their own perspective to the world. Not everything can be young and colorful all the time. It would get tiring and eventually we would lose interest. Allowing things to change, mature, and share their beauty at different stages allows us appreciate each season. We need need blooms and buds, dried pods and dormant bulbs in order to have beauty all year long.

Give the mature things in your world a second look. Appreciate what they have to offer and welcome what they bring to the table. Don’t be in a rush to walk past them, slow down and learn from the wisdom they provide.