前年聖誕節孤挺花球凱恩的母親給了我們孤挺花球，我們以為已經枯死了，因為它不曾開花，葉子也枯黃了。凱恩將它放置在車庫裡已經好幾個月了。去年五月底我下樓到車庫處理別的事時，我發現了好像眼角瞥見一點小小的綠物從這棄置的花盆中探頭窺視我。湊近一瞧， 乖不隆咚是孤挺花球冒綠葉了！我趕緊把它帶上樓回我們的飯廳，給它澆水後，便放置靠窗口處聽天由命吧！
結果驚人的事情發生了！看起來這個特殊的孤挺花拖延綻放兩年，竟是因為“她”得了憂鬱症厭倦了寒冷的冬天，她決定要沐浴在日光中。你可以從照片看到她竟自打開 我們的百葉窗為要得到更多溫暖的陽光。感覺就像她想以她絕對的美麗及天真無邪的笑容迎接這世界。
看！她美麗的綻放著！仿似傾訴著她置之死地而後生的故事來見證著造物者對她的垂憐；她光彩的容顏吟唱著遲來的春天是值得等待的！
p.s. 朋友給妳／你 －生日快樂！
（欲知孤挺花花語及故事請看英文之後的後記／註）
回應我思我想的金句：- “凡 等 候 你 的 必 不 羞 愧 ； 惟 有 那 無 故 行 奸 詐 的 必 要 羞 愧 。
耶 和 華 啊 ， 求 你 將 你 的 道 指 示 我 ， 將 你 的 路 教 訓 我 ！”
～詩篇25：3－4
- “耶 和 華 必 然 等 候 ， 要 施 恩 給 你 們 ； 必 然 興 起 ， 好 憐 憫 你 們 。 因 為 耶 和 華 是 公 平 的 神 ； 凡 等 候 他 的 都 是 有 福 的 ！”～以賽亞書30：18
- “我 們 務 要 認 識 耶 和 華 ， 竭 力 追 求 認 識 他 。 他 出 現 確 如 晨 光 ， 他 必 臨 到 我 們 像 甘 雨 ， 像 滋 潤 田 地 的 春 雨 。”～何西阿書6：3
- “所 以 我 告 訴 你 們 ， 不 要 為 生 命 憂 慮 吃 甚 麼 ， 喝 甚 麼 ； 為 身 體 憂 慮 穿 甚 麼 。 生 命 不 勝 於 飲 食 麼 ？ 身 體 不 勝 於 衣 裳 麼 ？
你 們 看 那 天 上 的 飛 鳥 ， 也 不 種 ， 也 不 收 ， 也 不 積 蓄 在 倉 裡 ， 你 們 的 天 父 尚 且 養 活 他 。 你 們 不 比 飛 鳥 貴 重 得 多 麼 ？
你 們 那 一 個 能 用 思 慮 使 壽 數 多 加 一 刻 呢 （ 或 作 ： 使 身 量 多 加 一 肘 呢 ） ？
何 必 為 衣 裳 憂 慮 呢 ？ 你 想 野 地 裡 的 百 合 花 怎 麼 長 起 來 ； 他 也 不 勞 苦 ， 也 不 紡 線 。
然 而 我 告 訴 你 們 ， 就 是 所 羅 門 極 榮 華 的 時 候 ， 他 所 穿 戴 的 ， 還 不 如 這 花 一 朵 呢 ！
你 們 這 小 信 的 人 哪 ！ 野 地 裡 的 草 今 天 還 在 ， 明 天 就 丟 在 爐 裡 ， 神 還 給 他 這 樣 的 妝 飾 ， 何 況 你 們 呢 ！
所 以 ， 不 要 憂 慮 說 ： 吃 甚 麼 ？ 喝 甚 麼 ？ 穿 甚 麼 ？
這 都 是 外 邦 人 所 求 的 ， 你 們 需 用 的 這 一 切 東 西 ， 你 們 的 天 父 是 知 道 的 。
你 們 要 先 求 他 的 國 和 他 的 義 ， 這 些 東 西 都 要 加 給 你 們 了 。
所 以 ， 不 要 為 明 天 憂 慮 ， 因 為 明 天 自 有 明 天 的 憂 慮 ； 一 天 的 難 處 一 天 當 就 夠 了 。”～ 馬太福音6：25－34
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
The amaryllis bulb Kevin’s mother gave to us last, last Christmas which we thought was dead due to it never bloomed and all its leaves have wilt. Kevin has put it away in the garage for few months already. I went down stairs to the garage for something last May, and I sensed a tiny green monster was popping out from the pot peeping on me. I went closer to the pot to check it out. Oh boy! I found amaryllis back to life with this tiny bitsy green leaf. I hurried to bring it back to our dining room. I left it close to the window after watering it and let the nature took over its course.
Amazing thing has happened! It seems like this particular amaryllis its delinquent blooming was due to depression because “she” was tired of cold winters. She decided to have a sunbath. You can see it from the photos, that she opened our blinds herself to get more sunshine. It feels like she wanted to greet this world with her absolute beauty and innocent smile.
Look! Her beautiful bloom! It seems like she is telling her story of her resurrection to testify the Creator’s mercy on her. Her glorious face is singing that delay blossom is worth waiting for!
p.s. Dedicate this to you my friend - Happy birthday!
(Please read my research notes after the above writing below for the story and meanings of Amaryllis.)
Bible verses reflecting my thoughts:
No one who hopes in you
will ever be put to shame,
but shame will come on those
who are treacherous without cause.
will ever be put to shame,
but shame will come on those
who are treacherous without cause.
Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths. ” ~ Psalm 25：3－4
“Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you;
therefore he will rise up to show you compassion.
For the LORD is a God of justice.
Blessed are all who wait for him!” ~Isaiah 30:18
therefore he will rise up to show you compassion.
For the LORD is a God of justice.
Blessed are all who wait for him!” ~Isaiah 30:18
“Let us acknowledge the LORD;
let us press on to acknowledge him.
As surely as the sun rises,
he will appear;
he will come to us like the winter rains,
like the spring rains that water the earth.” ~Hosea 6:3
Do Not Worry
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[e]?
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.
Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.
If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?
So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.“
～ Mathews 6：25－34
Research Notes after writing for Story and Meanings of Amaryllis:
I did a research on internet in order to learn more about amaryllis after I’ve finished the above writing. My purpose was to better care of this precious beauty Mama gave to us. Surprisingly I have found the meanings of amaryllis were so interesting and it somewhat has reflected how I felt about amaryllis in my writing. I decided to combine the meanings of amaryllis I found from varies sources to share with readers.
Amaryllis means symbolic of success won after a struggle. These were often given in recognition of a job well done – particularly in scholastics, writing, and artistic endeavors. According to teleflora.com the amaryllis also symbolizes pride, determination and radiant beauty because of the legend of the shepherdess, Amaryllis’ deep love towards to Alteo, and her affection were unrequited. Alteo only loved flowers, and he always said that he would only fall in love with the girl who could bring him a new flower which he hasn’t seen. Amaryllis followed a priest’s suggestion; she then dressed in maiden’s white and appeared at Alteo’s door piercing her heart with a golden arrow each time for consecutive 30 nights. When Alteo finally opened his door, he found crimson flowers which sprung from the blood of Amaryllis’ heart.......therefore, Alteo named the flower after Amaryllis.
The deep color of blossom amaryllis beautiful tube lures in viewers' eyes until the viewers are immersed in its beauty; therefore, the gorgeous amaryllis represents radiant beauty, that emanates from an inner source and flowers outward.
Reference:
http://www.whats-your-sign.com/flowers-and-meanings.html
http://quailnest.blogbus.com/logs/14948457.html
後記／註：孤挺花源由及花語
在我完成了以上文章後，我在互聯網上查詢研究孤挺花想要更多了解孤挺花；我的目的是為了更好地培植婆婆給我們的寶貝。令人驚訝的是，我發現孤挺花的含義是如此有趣，並且居然有些反映我寫作時對此花的感受。我決定合併簡述我在不同來源處讀到的孤挺花的含義與大家分享。
孤挺花意味著掙扎後贏得成功的象徵。這些往往用在給予做了出色的工作的認可 - 尤其是在學術，寫作和藝術方面的努力。根據 teleflora.com孤挺花也象徵著自豪，決心和光芒四射的美麗，是源於牧羊女阿瑪瑞莉絲（Amaryllis）對阿爾特歐（Alteo）深情的傳說。因阿爾特歐只愛花，他常說他只會愛上能帶給他未見過的花的女孩。於是阿瑪瑞莉絲聽從了祭司的建議；她穿上代表處女的白衣裳來到阿爾特歐的門口一連三十個夜晚以金箭刺入她的心。等到阿爾特歐終於開門時，他看到一朵朵深紅色的花從阿瑪瑞絲的心血湧現.....於是阿爾特歐便以阿瑪瑞莉絲命名孤挺花。
盛開的孤挺花以其漂亮的深色管子誘惑觀者的眼睛，直到觀者全然沉浸在它的美麗中，因此，華麗的孤挺花意味著從內向外發出的光芒四射。
