'Start' Sharing Life by Shauna Brown       Mother edged our yard with beautiful roses. They were the envy of our neighbors.  Frequently mother would issue, “Shauna, would you go and gather a beautiful bouquet for me.” She new I loved her roses and flowers.  Breathing the variety of fragrances were but a gift for me as well. She would then place my gathered bouquet in a vase and extend as a thoughtful gift to another.         When mother and daddy first moved into our home in Sugar house, Utah, mother felt she knew little about gardening. She knew she wanted flowers in her yard, so she sought the person who probably would know the most about flowers. She went to the master gardener on Temple Square. They became good friends over time and frequently mother brought home ‘starts’ for her garden. Baskets of Gold, tulips,daffodils, iris, lilies of the valley, bluebells, roses, daisies, were planted and thrived within our yard. Mother had developed a 'green thumb."

Mother freely shared of her gardening tips and knowledge as requested from friends and family.  On many an occasion I would see my mother out in the garden clipping a ‘cutting of a rose', or taking her shovel in hand and digging up a ‘start’ from a plant to share with an admirer. Mother had received freely, and freely shared.    She was always excited to see one of her ‘starts’ take root and thrive in the newly transplanted earth.  I too have come to appreciate the buds, and springtime sprouts. Many of my homes have been the benefactor of such beautiful, shared ‘starts.’       I don’t think mother would say she considered herself to be a master gardener, but her knowledge, tender love, skill, and desires made her one. She shared with many her love of flowers,all of God’s creations, and it rooted and bloomed within my life.      Every time I visit Temple Square I look at the gardens of flowers and think about the gardener who  graciously gave and taught my mother how to raise and nurture trees, shrubs, flowers, and children. I wonder just how many generations of gardens have been blessed by his original gifts of seeds, bulbs and wisdom ‘starts.’       Leo Buscaglia shared with his college students:        "The fact that I can plant a seed and it becomes a flower, share a bit of knowledge and it becomes another’s, smile at someone and receive a smile in return, are to me continual spiritual exercises."         I like that-’spiritual exercises.’       Smiles, kind words, helping hands, sharing thoughts, encouraging, supporting, are spiritual exercises. Each one of us are becoming masters of worth. Move over Johnny Appleseed.     Might we all seek to spread our seeds, share our sprouting knowledge, as well as breathing in the fresh fragrances of others planted within our gardens of life.      May we all continually seek the necessary "light" and living water from the greatest source, so we can thrive and grow.  Then, come what may, we can enjoy the blossoms. Yes, even the most beautiful roses have thorns.   One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today.  ~ Dale Carnegie So bloom big!  Yes, even though the snow still rests on the possibilities of tomorrow.

Enjoy the Sabbath... for within it God creates an environment of peace.

Love to all 

Shauna