The park bench was deserted as I sat down to read beneath the long, straggly branches
of an old willow tree. Disillusioned by life with good reason to frown, for the world was
intent on dragging me down.
And if that weren't enough to ruin my day, A young boy out of breath approached me, all
tired from play.
He stood right before me with his head tilted down and said with great excitement,
"Look what I found!"
In his hand was a flower, and what a pitiful sight, with it's petals all worn, not
enough rain, or to little light. Wanting him to take his dead flower and go off to play, I
faked a small smile and then shifted away. But instead of retreating he sat next to my
side and placed the flower to his nose and declared with overacted surprise, "It sure
smells pretty and it's beautiful, too. That's why I picked it; here it's for you."
The weed before me was dying or dead. Not vibrant of colors, orange, yellow or red. But
I knew I must take it, or he might never leave. So I reached for the flower, and replied,
"Just what I need." But instead of him placing the flower in my hand, he held it
mid-air without reason or plan. It was then that I noticed for the very first time that
weed-toting boy could not see: he was blind.
I heard my voice quiver, tears shone like the sun as I thanked him for picking the very
best one. You're welcome, he smiled, and then ran off to play, unaware of the impact he'd
had on my day. I sat there and wondered how he managed to see a self-pitying woman beneath
an old willow tree. How did he know of my self-indulged plight?
Perhaps from his heart, he'd been blessed with true sight. Through the eyes of a blind
child, at last I could see the problem was not with the world; the problem was me. And for
all of those times I myself had been blind, I vowed to see the beauty in life, and
appreciate every second that's mine. And then I held that wilted flower up to my nose and
breathed in the fragrance of a beautiful rose. And smiled as I watched that young boy,
another weed in his hand about to change the life of an unsuspecting old man.
