Keep Sunshine Going

Have you ever looked at something and it just took your breath away? Lately, I have been so drawn to sunflowers. They take my breath away and I have this desire to just surround myself with them!

I don’t know why this random obsession with sunflowers just popped up. If you would have asked me a month ago, I would have told you that my favorite flowers are roses and lilies. 

But not today. 

There is a quote that I have seen that is always accompanied with sunflowers. It says “Keep Sunshine Going”. How can these simple flowers keep sunshine going? Especially in the middle of a worldwide pandemic?

These simple flowers have brought some powerful messages into my life…

1. It’s okay to be HAPPY!

One thing that I love about these flowers is their color. They are so vibrant and happy!! Maybe that is why I am drawn to them. So much going around in the world is negative and gloomy. It makes life seem all dark and gray. But then, you see a beautiful, bright yellow sunflower and it instantly brightens up your day. Yellow to me has always been a happy color and these bright yellowed flowers do make me happy!

2. Each sunflower is actually made up of many tiny flowers.

I didn’t know that fun fact about them but I think that this plays a role in why they are so beautiful. Right now we are all struggling with stress and anxiety as we live through a time with so many unknowns. It is hard to go through all of that alone. However, when we all stand together and support one another, we create something truly beautiful. The WHOLE world came together to fast in behalf of the world and the fight against the corona virus. It was amazing to see so many countries, religions, ethnicities, and people come together to fight for a common cause. It brought strength and comfort to us all. We are stronger when we stand together, rather than when we stand alone. That truly keeps sunshine going!

3. Each sunflower contains up to 1,00-2,000 seeds. 

I never thought that I would learn so much about something so simple that just impressed my mind the last couple of weeks. God is so good!! Have you ever wondered what impact you have on the people around you? Sometimes we don’t see what good comes of our actions. Just like sunflowers, we have thousands of seeds that we constantly go about spreading, without even realizing it. We spread seeds when we smile, when we hold the door for someone, when we do a random act of kindness, or even a planned act of kindness. Sometimes we don’t get to see the impact we have, but we do know that we are spreading thousands of seeds every day and that keeps sunshine going.

4. Sunflower in French is “tournesol” which literally means “turn to the sun”.

These beautiful flowers KNOW what they need to grow. In their bud phase, they seek out the sun. They purposely face it. In the morning they will face the East and by the afternoon, they are facing the West. These sunflowers follow the sun wherever it goes. The sun helps them to grow and to become breathtakingly beautiful! Just like the sunflowers need the sun, we also need the Son- a.k.a. the Son of God. We need Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in our lives. We need the reassurance that there is a God that loves us. We need the knowledge that we aren’t just specs in the universe without a purpose. We need the spirit to learn and grow and to develop wonderful personalities. We, without realizing it, also turn to the Son for hope and for strength.

5. Sunflowers, if planted too close together, start competing.

This is such a cool random fact. If you are ever planting these flowers, don’t plant them too close together. They compete with each other and end up losing their full potential. Sometimes we follow that same pattern. We get lost in the game of comparing and thinking that we have to be better than one another. We begin to judge others if we are insecure about something in ourselves. That leads us far away from our true potential. We need to have our own space to grow, without comparisons and competitions. Without judgements and criticism. We have to stand tall and be ourselves. That is what makes us reach our true potential and that increases our own unique beauty.

6. Sunflowers have a history of healing.

They have been used to sooth chest pain in some areas. Other areas use sunflower leaves to treat kidneys. This flower has the power to heal. Fortunately for us, we do too. We might not be able to physically take away someone’s pain. But we can be a listening ear or a shoulder to cry on. We can pray our hearts out in their behalf. We can be there for them when they need us. That in its own way is a healing power. Our ability to be there for one another keeps sunshine going. 

Can’t you see why I just LOVE sunflowers?!? They are beyond beautiful. Even more than that though, they teach these astounding lessons that help us remember who we are and how we can stand tall and sure. They teach us how to keep sunshine going and how to reach our full potential. 

I am like a sunflower, that is growing everyday. It is up to me to keep sunshine going!