People Gardens

I have been enjoying some walks in the Oregon Gardens. They are beautiful and have plenty of pathways to explore. I am sure there are still a few more for me to venture into yet. I like to go after church (since it is only five minutes from there) and just meander through the gardens.
There are rose gardens and water gardens and vegetable gardens and forest gardens (or perhaps groves would be a better word). Some gardens are new and others are old. Some are meticulously designed and neatly bordered and others are a little more carefree.
There is always something in bloom.
This Sunday when I went there, I was enjoying the varieties of lilies, the lavender and some of the other beautiful flowers which are presently in bloom (and the names of which I will never, ever remember). As I meandered in and out among the gardens and examined the huge variety of flowers I was reminded again of how creative God is. Each flower is unique, even if two are on the same plant. But among them, there are sooo many varieties! And we keep coming up with new shades and shapes. How amazing that God has gifted us with the room to express our creativity by developing His creation in new ways!
As I wandered (and I had the whole place to myself because of a persistent drizzle, which I did not melt in), I was thanking and praising God for His creativity and He turned my mind to people. People are so like flowers. Some are more delicate, some more hardy, each one unique and will respond differently to different circumstances. Most flowers respond very positively to some tender, loving care and so do most people. But that tender-loving care is not the same for each plant (trust me, I've killed plants both by overwatering and underwatering!), and so it is with people too. Each one of us needs care.
Of course, we have the Master Gardener who provides much of that care. But I think sometimes we need to provide that care for each other too. Maybe reach over and gently pull a weed out so that the plant next to us has a little more room to grow. Or perhaps reach our shady leaves over and take the brunt of the sun during a hot spell, so that some of the plants around us can rest a little. Maybe we need to give some of our water to the plants near us, rather than hoarding it all for ourselves.
I don't know, there are so many ways to shed a little kindness on those around us. And a little kindness can go so very far. The memory of that kindness can bring fresh life into a tired plant or help a little plant to grow big enough to fend for itself or care for others.
I wonder what the world would be like if we all went just a wee bit out of our way to brighten someone else's day, to say thank you (meaningfully!), to help out a stranger (or neighbor) in need, or send someone a flower just to know that they are remembered. What kind of sweet smell would we give off to the world around us? What kind of smell do we give off to the world around us?