You may have noticed the cover image on my blog is a field of cherry trees. The reason I chose this image was based on an article I found a few years ago about the significance of the cherry tree in Japanese culture.
“The significance of the cherry blossom tree in Japanese culture goes back hundreds of years. In their country, the cherry blossom represents the fragility and the beauty of life. It’s a reminder that life is almost overwhelmingly beautiful but that it is also tragically short. When the cherry blossom trees bloom for a short time each year in brilliant force, they serve as a visual reminder of how precious and how precarious life is.
So, when Japanese people come together to view the cherry blossom trees and marvel at their beauty, they aren’t just thinking about the flowers themselves, but also about the larger meaning and deep cultural tradition the cherry blossom tree.”**
James 4:14 reminds us that our time here is short, “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”
When tragedy hits, you are very seldom ready so always remember to make the most of each day and don’t live in regrets. We were blessed with the ability to say goodbye to my dad after his stroke and we had 1 day where we were able to joke around with him a little (as much as you could when someone is in that condition). There are so many times when tragedy hits and you don’t get to say goodbye or tell someone how you really feel about them. This reminds me of Proverbs 6:4, “Don’t put it off; do it now! Don’t rest until you do.” Use 2018 to be the year that you tell people how you feel when you feel it. Don’t wait until it is too late! Send a text, drop by for a visit, call your parents. There will be times when you wish you still could.
**Excerpt taken from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/homaro-cantu/the-significance-of-the-c_1_b_3832895.html