Patio Pondering: Resolve Belongs to Today

This morning I was struck with the mass and beauty of the sunflowers in our backyard landscaping. What inspires me is that the plant was blown over during a storm this summer. The main stem now lies on the ground, but instead of withering, it adapted by sending up new shoots and producing a cluster of bright yellow blooms. Sometimes resilience isn’t shown by standing tall, but in finding new ways to grow and thrive.

As I sit here drinking my coffee, the weight of this date presses in. Twenty-four years ago, we were stunned by the senseless attacks on our nation. Yesterday brought another senseless act, the murder of a rising conservative voice, someone many thought had a bright future. Violence once again took away lives and potential, leaving grief and unanswered questions.

And yet, life presses forward. Here I sit at the computer, working on promotions for my consulting and speaking venture. Part of me feels selfish focusing on myself today. But perhaps the sunflower offers the reminder: life adapts, even after being knocked flat.

As I drove back from the school drop-off line, I tried to find a topic to reflect on, but nothing broke through the memories of 2001 and this morning’s headlines. Today asks us to hold two things at once: grief for what was lost and determination for what lies ahead. The way we live, work, and press forward becomes a memorial of its own. Evil only wins when we stop pushing, stop growing, even when knocked down. Critiques and complaints can wait. Resolve belongs to today.