I usually associate the fall season with falling leaves. Last autumn, I learned to appreciate the beauty in that. But as I wave good-bye to summer once again, it occurs to me that there are actually flowers that are just getting started. While leaves fall, blossoms emerge from hidden places like the autumn crocus that is pictured here.  It is in those blossoms that I find hope.

I am now officially closer to 50 than 40 and I have wrestled with the realities, reflections and regrets that come with midlife. My 20’s were a blast, but my 30’s, not so much, given my awkward entrance into ministry and the loss of a precious loved one that occurred during that decade. As I crept into my 40’s, I wondered if I had squandered some of my prime ”blooming“ years. When I attended my 20-year college reunion several years ago, I had to miss quite a bit of it because I went to a friend’s wedding on the day when most of the activities took place. Honestly, I was a bit relieved. After all, I had nothing particularly exciting to share.

Imagine how Elizabeth felt when she didn’t have anything particularly exciting to share, especially in a context (Luke 1) where a woman was defined by her ability to have children. As she likely traveled to the temple when her husband Zechariah was assigned to serve as priest, Elizabeth had to journey alongside women who were pregnant or walking with children she wished she could bear. After a while, I suspect that she resigned herself to the fact that her “prime blooming years” were behind her. Little did she know what was to come.

As I consider the testimony of Elizabeth and the autumn crocus, I realize that I am in good company. There is something beautiful and resilient about late bloomers, whether they are plants or people. Though there are areas in my life where I have yet to see blooms, I choose to embrace the opportunities that are blossoming before me at the moment. I choose to resist the temptation to look at my watch and wonder why it has taken so long. I choose to answer the call that Dr. Renita Weems makes to “Elizabeths” in her book Showing Mary: How Women Can Share Prayers, Wisdom, and the Blessings of God:

“Celebrate your blooms because they took so long in coming. Be grateful for that second wind. Relish the learning and wisdom you’ve garnered. This is your season, Elizabeth. Seize it. Give birth to the gift of God within you. You’ve now got talent and the inner strength that comes with age. You’ve now got enthusiasm and the wisdom that comes with experience. You’re ready.”

Your Call: Are you a late bloomer in some area of your life? If so, what would it take for you to celebrate and make the most of that reality? How will you partner with God to cultivate what is blossoming for you right now?