I do love that shade of blue! As I rounded the bend, however, it wasn’t just the blue sky with puffy white clouds that caught my attention. Even though I’d driven this backroad shortcut to our home many times lately, today something I hadn’t noticed before popped out at me.
Queen Anne’s Lace was in full bloom along the road for what seemed like miles. I just had to pull over and snap a photo!
At first I didn’t really know why…but as I took a closeup shot, memories started to flow and it became clearer.
It wasn’t so I could jot about arriving home from my middle school church camp with chigger-bitten legs. That’s a truly itchy story about changing into shorts for the bus ride home before cutting through a field of these wildflowers on the last day. But it’s not the story for today.
Instead, it seems to involve uncovering hidden treasure…
While many consider Queen Anne’s Lace to be a weed, Dad had shown me its beauty while we hiked together. He had revealed how each flattened bloom was actually made up of a gazillion (an extremely technical term, of course!) tiny white flowettes.
This was only one of the “more than meets the eye” lessons he taught on our outdoor adventures. My mind wandered into the memories of several that I jotted down when I got home. They were his way of passing on his vast knowledge and love of nature in the kid friendly style that came naturally to him.
Which encouraged me to approach life as an ongoing treasure hunt.
Today, though, it was as if I heard him wrapping up his botanical tutorial with the words my heart just couldn’t hear too often back then (when my teeth-in-braces and contrary curls kept me from smiling in the mirror or pretty much elsewhere for that matter).
Words about me and the hidden treasure I held inside, of being “more than meets the eye” and a blossoming beauty.
Ahh, phrases of Daddy Love that helped to transform me from feeling ordinary into recognizing and embracing my uniqueness.
And continues to, with each remembering.
Thanks, Dad...missing you as this Father’s Day approaches and loving you always!
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I’d love to support you in connecting the dots between a childhood memory and what your heart is longing to hear at this moment. Let’s chat about uncovering and capturing your “hidden treasure” stories that matter!
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JOYfully jotting,
Katie
Family PhotoStory Curator
Mini-Stories Writing Coach
Your Legacy of Memories Mentor
Capturing Mini-Moments that Matter…
Energizing & Connecting Families for Generations!