“Open the bloom of your heart and become a gift of beauty to the world.”– Bryant McGill

On the way to work this morning, the radio DJ said that there are about 13 weeks left until summer, and I don't think it will be here soon enough. My favorite objects to photograph are flowers. There is such a unique beauty to each little bloom, and it amazes me that this little green bud grows from dirt and transforms into something so colorful and beautiful.

I often refer to my mom's garden because she always plants such a variety of greenery that transforms into a little hidden oasis in her backyard. The woman lives and breathes for that garden, spending much of her time working with each flower bed. From spring when she is ridding the area of the dead brush and digging in the dirt to the summer when she pulls the weeds and endures Nebraska's overwhelming humidity and heat. Some (also known as me) don't have as much patience or passion for doing what she can do, but I appreciate every moment I step into her garden.

My goal this year is to grow and transform my passion. While I haven't been doing a very good job of dedicating my time to learn, I have been spending a great deal of time looking at how far I have come and thinking of where I want to go. I may not have the answers, but I'm cultivating the soil around me as I search for the flower I wish to become. I truly believe that is the point of life, to spend our days trying to be better than the day before so that our future can be amazing in the future.

Each day, we are much like a bud that grows from dirt. T

he dirtiness of the world surrounds us, but we rise each day. We have the choice to become a weed, hindering the garden of life and wasting the time of a gardener. Or, we can choose to become a flower creating beauty in the world, spreading joy and kindness as we face the trials and obstacles in every situation.