Summer Weeds

Part of life in a garden of quiet trust is awaiting the weeds.  “Weeds are plants where you don’t want them” is the old gardener’s adage. So the sunflower emerging through the stones that protect our water collection system is a weed indeed. Why do we allow it to grow?  There is something singular and irrefutable about this plant. It doesn’t arrive with a brigade of yellow comrades. It’s solo and confident. Its endurance survives in seeds that will be devoured by birds or transplanted by chipmunks. Reappearance in this location is unlikely. We accept this sunny yellow intruder. Accept it not just with an indifferent tolerant shrug of “I can live with that.” This experience of acceptance is more honorable. More than tolerance- respect.  We attend to the sunflower asking, “How did it come to this place? What lessons does it teach? How is God working in this golden weed?