An Unexpected Gift

On July 18, 2019, I was at the dais to retrieve an item I needed in my chambers before the formal opening of court when an officer approached and asked if she could give me a gift for my garden. She excitedly told me of this beautiful but unusual desert flower that blooms only at night. I, too, became excited.

I looked at the tiny insignificant little weed in her hands and thought, Another weed for my garden! Her kindness was sincere.

I decided I had nothing to lose in accepting her generous gift. After giving me detailed instructions on planting and caring for my gift, she assured me that a pleasant surprise awaited me. As promised, my gift grew by leaps and bounds. Buds began to appear in the center of the plant. Its elongated leaves began to cover a wide expanse. One morning, I woke to a beautiful yellow flower, which faded with the warmth of the sun. So, this is it! My desert flower turned out to be an evening primrose, botanically named Oenothera triloba. A plant I’ve never heard of or seen before, although I planted many varieties of evening primrose over the years.

The miracle of this is that today, February 8, 2021, in Southern Ontario, the temperature is hovering around nineteen degrees Celsius (sixty-six degrees Fahrenheit). Not exactly daytime desert temperature! My gift lies buried beneath a blanket of snow and ice but will burst through in the spring, to blossom again as a thing of beauty, to greet me at my front entrance. One morning last summer, I looked out my upstairs window to what appeared to be a comical scene: a rabbit, a squirrel, and a bird were all trying desperately to get at my evening primrose through the wire mesh I installed around it.

Although I have struggled to ensure my plant’s survival, my furry and feathered friends all seemed bent on sharing my gift.

Nature assures me of a rebirth when spring arrives in a few weeks. This rebirth of nature serves to remind us of the gift of life that God has so graciously given each of us. As our faces differ, so do our talents and the beautiful, sweet spirit God has instilled in us. Let’s not smother or bury it but let it shine for all to see and be blessed.

Avis Mae Rodney