Early each spring, at a woods near me, amazing happens.
Deep in the woods, at the edge of a winding trail, thousands of Virginia bluebells appear. From under dead leaves and winter’s leftovers, they emerge. They bloom, protected, under a secluded grove of tall trees. Close to the ground, in clusters like readymade bouquets, the blanket of blue stops me full stop. The palette is mesmerizing. Pale cobalt, lavender and fuchsia together. I’ve never seen these colors anywhere except in those flowers. Each one is a jewel. I imagine them as a magic carpet in an enchanted fairy tale.
Today, on Earth Day, I hiked those woods. The bluebells, in full bloom last week, were gone. But I thought about them and how much happiness they gave me. The beauty of one patch of bluebells in a small wood in the middle of the country is immeasurable. Earth offers this beauty everywhere. Earth, thank you for the Happy.
