Summer heat has arrived in Georgia. It’s zinnia season.
Fun fact about me: I cannot grow anything. I have been known to kill “maintenance-free” plants.
Everyone else in my family can grow things, though. So we have gardens in our yard sprouting flowers and food much of the year.
Zinnias are some of my favorite flowers. We’ve had small patches of them in the front and back for a while now. This year, without planting or any effort, a huge patch of them sprouted up in our front yard.
When we first got zinnias growing at home, I mainly wanted to watch them in the yard. I never picked too many. I’d just enjoy them growing there for as long as I could.
After trying that for a while, here’s the cool thing I learned about zinnias:
The more you cut the blooms, the more blooms will grow.
So I try to cut all the new blooms a few times a week. I cut them just above where the stem splits. These turn into a flood of endless bouquets that spread to friends from life, work, school, family, the gym, and so on. And the more I cut them, the more blossoms appear and multiply.
It’s like the zinnias know you appreciate them, so they give you more of what you like.
When I think about it, many people are like that. If you show appreciation for what they offer, they give you more of it. Gratitude matters.
With the zinnias, I also get to see smiles from friends who get a small gift of beauty and knowing they are treasured. Perhaps they, in turn, pass a bit of beauty or kindness along in their own way.
It really does not take much effort to brighten a day. Joy multiplies and spreads. Share some of what you have with others. Flowers, treats, even just a simple note can change a mood, an outlook, or make a challenging road more beautiful.
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