Sometimes things bloom where you'd least expect...

I've been anxiously awaiting for the spring weather to finally arrive, not just because my skin is begging for some sunshine, but because last fall I decided I needed something to look forward to so I planted hundreds of tulips. So several times a day I inspect the garden, hoping a few more buds have opened up. I know I just need to be patient, but I've been getting a bit frustrated because all our neighbors tulips are blooming and not only are mine staying dormant, but from what I can count I'd guess only half or so of the bulbs I planted have actually sprouted. So I was feeling a bit downtrodden about my novice gardening skills and berating myself for planting the bulbs myself when John, being the gardening wizard that he is, probably could've come up with some way to get the tulips to bloom faster, longer, and bigger. Since I've been so focused on the flowers in the front yard it wasn't until today that I noticed a random surprise in the back yard. Right under our big catalpa tree we have a plot of dirt that we haven't done much with. Much to my surprise, sitting right in the middle of the dirt was this. Sure, it's not a hundred tulips, but to even find a few beautiful flowers when you didn't even plant them is pretty cool. I think last summer John added too much mulch to the beds in the front yard so he moved some dirt around back, and somehow he must have picked up a couple bulbs as well. This just reminded me of a quote that I love:

"Sometimes we stare so long at a door that is closing that we see too late the one that is open."
- Alexander Graham Bell

Not to be pessimistic and say that my other bulbs won't bloom, but I think that some of life's greatest joys come from the small and simple blessings that flow into our lives when we least expect them. So often we think we know what we want and quickly become frustrated when things don't go as we'd planned, only to find something better is right around the corner.