I had arrived early at the gates of the Aldridge Botanical Garden.  So early in fact that the gates were still locked and would not open for another 30 minutes.  So what did I do?  I was tempted to get mad and throw a fit, but what good would that do; there was nobody there to listen to my complaints.  I could have just driven away quietly to sulk in silence, but I really wanted to visit the garden.  Finally, I convinced myself to make the best of the circumstances and find something of interest outside the gates of the garden.

        I literally only took about 6 steps from the car and took this photo of the dewdrops.  They were hidden in plain view right in front of my parking space.  Had the gates not been locked I would never have seen this picture.  Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our plans we fail to see the many wonderful things laying at our feet.  Why do we get so upset when we do not get what we want?  Have you even gotten angry when you were forced to take a detour?  I have!  But I have also found many amazing blessings I would have never seen had it not been for the detour.  The really happy man is the one who can enjoy the scenery even when he has to take a detour.

        So, here I am enjoying the beauty of my detour and as I look at this long blade of grass I notice all these wild dewdrops.  They are riding the blade of grass like cowboys made of Jello.  As the breeze pushed the swinging grass the dewdrops wiggled, jiggled and danced across the bucking blades.  As I watch this wacky rodeo I observe that none of the dewdrops are the same size, each one is different, and all are unique.  There was something wonderful and comforting in their diversity.  I am glad that it is ok for dewdrops to be different.    

        As the rodeo was ending I watched as the dewdrops slowly pulled together; I witnessed the birth of unity.  I watch as diverse parents joined hands and hearts to form a child that was bigger, stronger and better equipped to refresh a thirsty world.   We are a lot like these dewdrops.  Each one of us is different and special in our own unique way and each one of us can benefit from coming together and working in unity.  We are better together.  I am strengthened with each new friendship and I grow wiser learning from your experiences.  Let us look for ways to cooperate and work together.  Happiness is a choice; choose to work together.

Something to think about:

• Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.

• Most people are willing to meet each other halfway; trouble is, most people are pretty poor judges of distance.

• The greatest need today seems to be the key to fit the deadlock.

• Cooperation can be spelled with two letters—WE.

• A dewdrop does the will of God as much as a thunderstorm.

• Most people are lonely because they build walls instead of bridges.

• We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.

Thankful we are on the same team
Rickey Moore