We didn't have lilies for Easter this year--at least not fresh ones. But we did have a beautiful painting of lilies for our service. They were painted during the crisis by one of our parishioners as she sat in isolation. Her name is Suzanne and she lives in a nearby retirement community which is on lock down. Yes, we missed the real lilies, but we loved her painting!Florists, I guess, are considered non-essential. And I suppose, in one way, that is true. We don't need florists to survive. But we sure need beauty--and what is more beautiful than a flower? Fortunately here in Florida we are almost always surrounded by flowers. Gorgeous flowers. Brightly colored flowers. Flowers on bushes and trees and in the water and sprouting from the ground. And even up north, this is spring, and flowers are beginning to appear. And so, despite florists being unable to ply their trade, we do have flowers.
And when we don't, as it was with lilies on Easter Sunday, we have artists. Artists like Suzanne, who help us to remember things like flowers. Artists who help us see the beauty around us, even when it is missing in action. For beauty, and the artists that capture it, are always essential.
(Painting: Suzanne Bennett)
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