One glorious day. The lifespan of a water lily blossom transpires, from start to finish, in ‘one glorious day’. To my human sensibilities, it seems to be an unreasonably short window of time for such a lovely miracle to “bloom its heart out”. But that’s what it does -no matter what its ‘one glorious day’ may bring.
On the morning of its birth, it rises fearlessly from secret, murky depths. Pushed to the surface by an expectant, resolute stem, the impatient bulb rides to the water’s crest. 
At ‘just the right moment’, it bursts new life, unfolding iridescent petals into the light. Dragonflies and pond skimmers pause to welcome the wonder, as it willingly spreads itself vulnerable on the surface of its short life. Merging hues of glistening color hug the intricate, brilliant core, and it will live its ‘one glorious day’ to the fullest -no matter what.
The blossom is not given a choice, regarding its appointed day of birth. It may arise to a radiant morning and upturn its shimmering face to receive the kiss of a sun-filled sky. Or it may be forced to muster steadfast courage to live its challenging duration under ominous clouds and pummeling storms.
God often speaks to me through the quiet nuance of his creation. In the tranquility at Cottage Creek, I have observed many a water lily’s ‘one glorious day’. The lovely, resilient blossoms have offered this profound inspiration…
Whether under a happy sky or a tempest storm, each bud earnestly rises to the surface with the sole purpose of blooming its best and finest. No matter its unique circumstance, each blossom blesses the earth with the fullest measure of its gift.
While it is soul soothing to experience a lily’s gentle beauty as it hovers quietly over placid waters and dew-dropped pads of emerald, it is poignantly stirring to witness a single blossom as it stands with unyielding grace in the face of a raging storm.
I think, in some ways, we are not so different from the lowly water lily. In the scope of eternity, we bloom for what is surely tantamount to ‘one glorious day’. Each of us, impatiently -expectantly- pushed from dark, mysterious waters into the light of day. Some of us, seemingly sprung into life’s sunshine while others are forced to bloom in the rain.
Unlike a lily blossom, however, we are given the freedom to choose how we will live our ‘one glorious day’. We can open ourselves…vulnerable, yet resolved to give and receive the fullness of all that we are destined to share and experience. Or, in contrast, we can choose to tightly -fearfully- close ourselves, protecting and hording that which is only valuable if shared.
May each of us find the courage to open ourselves to life and bloom to the fullest degree throughout our own uniquely individual, divinely appointed…’One Glorious Day’.
