“Ready?” I asked, carefully holding a steaming travel mug of coffee in one hand and pressing the garage door button with the other.
“Yep,” my daughter said, her backpack and athletic bag slung over her shoulders, keys jingling in her hand.
It was an ordinary Tuesday morning a few springs ago. I was doing ordinary Tuesday morning things until I walked out of the garage and stopped short. “Wow! Look at that!”
Her car, which she parked in the driveway, was covered with petals. Covered.
“Whoa!” she said, coming up beside me.
The overnight rain had loosened the dogwood blooms in the tree overhead and showered her car with them. The wet petals stuck to the car and dotted the driveway around it.
We both pointed, and laughed, and walked around the car to get the full effect.
The moment seemed almost magical.
Then, because she needed to go, we were loading the trunk and talking about the math quiz and soccer practice. I put the coffee in the drink holder inside. A quick hug later, she started the car, turned on the wipers, and drove off.
Leaving a trail of petals floating behind her.
Still smiling, I walked back inside, holding the image of those petals in my mind. I imagined the day sometime in the hazy future, when she might be running down a path in her wedding finery, holding hands with her true love. They would be surrounded by loved ones, everyone showering them with petals and kisses and all our best wishes...
But thank goodness today is not that day, I thought.
Gathering a load of laundry, I stepped back into the Tuesday morning mundane. But now? Well, the day was anything but ordinary.
Have you ever had a moment when you were surprised by unexpected beauty? I’d love to hear about it. Please leave me a comment.
