Some of you may see the red poppy as a symbol for the arrival of summer or a gorgeous addition to a centerpiece. What you may or may not know is that this bright flower is the symbol for Memorial Day. On the war-torn battlefields across Europe, the poppy was one of the first plants to reappear after a battle. This is because the seeds that had been scattered and lay dormant in the ground needed a disturbance to sprout. The battlefields were a perfect space of turbulence and commotion to activate those poppies growth.
For many, our lives these days are full of disturbances. Things are changing left and right and the idea of a plan is simply non-existent. We are in a holding pattern just waiting till things can get back to normal. What is normal anymore? For purpose of this metaphor, we are ‘lying dormant’ till all this chaos clears. We are all uncertain of when that will be and what that will look like.
Uncertainty is a word we associate with far too often these days.
There can be a beauty in uncertainty though. Even with the strain of war, the once bleak looking battlefields sprouted rows and rows of poppies once more. The field was barren, or so it looked that way. Hidden in the ground were seeds ready to grow and ready for revival. The fields became places of opportunity and the poppies, vessels of hope. You could not see the seeds below but after some time they flourished.
“Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11: 1 NIV
Even though we cannot see the clear end of these uncertain times, we continue to scatter seeds knowing that hope sprouts in the most unlikely places.
We thank you for your continued support in helping us change lives and spread hope. And to the many veterans who died and families who lost a loved one in service to this country, thank you. We honor you this Memorial Day!
Written by: Ellis Petrik, Community and Event Specialist, Fort Collins Rescue Mission
