I wish there was a little scratch ‘n sniff patch on your screen, so you could smell this fabulous fragrance! Gardenias…oh, the heavenly scent that floats on the air this time of year!
I am blessed to have a bush right next to my front porch; a very pleasant surprise for me when we looked at this house for the first time. I love them, not only because of their scent or their delicate appearance, but mainly because of my dad.
I was a little girl, that grew into a bigger girl, who is now an older girl. But the “girl” part remains, no matter how old I get. That “girl” was nurtured early on by her daddy, who hugged a lot, whistled when I walked in the room dressed for church or a date, bragged about me, in front of me, to others, and when the gardenia bush was in bloom, I would find a perfect blossom on my pillow. It was a sign that he was thinking of me, a representation of the beauty he found in me, and, the scent, a lingering reminder of his love as I drifted off to sleep. This went on each spring until I married, when my father gave me away with a gardenia pinned to his lapel.
My dad and I are now separated by several states and a lot of miles. But, every spring, my gardenia bush blooms, and we don’t feel so far apart. My Heavenly Daddy has taken up where my own sweet daddy left off, continuing the nourishment found in a Father’s touch.
Thank you for writing about this precious memory of your Dad. It brought tears to both of our eyes. We could fill a book of our precious memories of you. We are so thankful that you have a love relationship with your Heavenly DAD. You are loved and treasured!
Mom