Promise

Allotment blossom in April

Every year I wait eagerly in anticipation of the apple blossom. It's pretty, but the real reason is that it's the promise of apples. Each flower has the potential to become a juicy snack, a crumble or an apple pie enjoyed with my family.

It reminds me that beauty often carries with it a deeper purpose. It's an example of what it really means to have faith. It's not a vague hope or wishful thinking - like hoping the blight spreading across the allotments will miss my tomatoes - but an assurance that good things are coming. It has its foundation in the truth that this is a sign of fruit.

Faith, for me, works in much the same way. It anchors my life, offering direction when I can’t yet see the outcome. It gives me courage to venture into new places, to try, to fail, and to try again. When disappointments come, faith steadies me, reminding me that unseen growth can happen even in the seasons that feel barren.  

When I stand beneath the apple tree in spring, I can’t help but smile at what’s coming. The blossom is fleeting, but the promise it makes endures.