The clematis bloomed this week. We’d anticipated its coming as we watched the buds swell round and full, like a bowl full of yeast dough that is about to rise over the top. Our spring has been warmer and drier than usual, so the conditions were perfect for the clematis to thrive.
In recent years the clematis came earlier but wind and rain beat the blossoms to a soggy withered mess. Within days the gorgeous flowers were ruined. One spring the wind blew the entire vine off its tether against the wall, sending the flowers crashing to the ground. Quite a disappointment when waiting for the flower is a once a year event.
But this year the first tentative bloom opened its petals in mid-May, as if testing the weather for safety. The next morning the blooms seems to burst out at once, the entire vine coming to life like a time-delayed movie. The effect was stunning.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 tells us that everything has a season—a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which was planted.
For everything there is a season, and a time for every [a]purpose under heaven: 2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7 a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8 a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.
Apparently the clematis understands that concept well. The blossom knew when to appear. We are blessed because it listened to its inner clock.