Dad to son, “What should I title my post on Beautiful and True”?

“Passion,” he replies.

“Passion? This post is about Ponderosa pine pollen on a Perstemon, how is that passion?” I asked.

“You can learn from me,” the 13-year-old said but not in a cheeky way, “Our passion should sing to the essence of the flower, reminding it of what it should become.” he explained.

He is not usually pretentious or sarcastic so I figured he was being a comedian. As I thought about what he said, I felt like I should agree with it. Even though I didn’t (don’t) understand it.

“Strong”, my wife chimed in from the kitchen as she continued washing the dishes.

“Strong?”

“Yes, because it has to put up with all that pollen and still grow.”

“It, the flower?”

“Yes, that pretty little blue flower has to put up with all that Ponderosa pine pollen sticking all over it and still be beautiful and grow, that is strong.”

I was thinking the title might be, “Local man with iPhone finds Perstemon in his yard.”

And so, for all six of you Beautiful and True fans (love you, Mom!), we offer a behind the scenes look at the titling process! But not without a point.  And here it is.

When we notice something beautiful, like Perstemon, there is an opportunity to do more than just say, “Awww, pretty flower…” and move on.  There is an opportunity to reflect for a moment. Consider that beauty. How would you title the moment? What is the one word that summarizes your experience of that beauty?  It’s a practical way of helping us take a moment when we encounter beauty.

If you haven’t already done so, zoom in on this picture of Perstemon and notice the tiny yellow specks on the flower petals. That’s pollen from the Ponderosa pines, they gush it for about a week in June. Everything gets a yellow dusting, including my sinuses!

Maybe that gave me empathy for the flower, there is little Perstemon, just minding her own business, fifty feet below the 200-year-old Ponderosa pines as they dump gallons of pollen on her. Life puts up with life, and that’s kind of beautiful.

Notice something Beautiful or True today.