Inspiration

The aging fight of a Black-Eyed Susan

People aren’t the only ones who experience cell loss as we go through the aging stages of life.

Do we dare to embrace them or do we chase away the natural beauty of each stage as we age?

Hmm…I often wonder why we fight so hard against Mother Nature and our gifts of the beauty within?

There’s something special about embracing who we are meant to be as we age.  So often though, we fight our natural beauty with battles which often leave us distraught.

Maybe we should take lessons from plants who embrace their life cycles?

The human soul is slow to discover the real excellence of things given to us by a bountiful Creator, and not until the shadows of death begin to gather around the object that we love, do we see its worth and beauty.  Autumn is the dim shadow that clusters about the sweet, precious things that God has created in the realm of nature.  While it robs them of life, it tears away the veil and reveals the golden gem of beauty and sweetness.  Beauty lurks in all the dim old aisles of nature, and we discover it at last. – Northern Advocate

The Morning Glories cuddle in to make these tiny little balls to protect their seeds – the ones that drop again in spring to sprout again.

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Their vines cling on as they give up their life where they once did the graceful crawl up the wall.

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In this garden bed of once multi-colored zinnias, the gusto they had for the summer’s heat has gotten them a tad offbeat.  I can just hear them screaming, “It’s hell to get old, right?”

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Then someone stands up and says, not me, not yet!  Lo and behold, the hearty Black-Eyed Susan has proven they’re the strongest to survive the battle of aging this season.  Surrounded and protected by those who have gone before it, this plant puts up its fight.

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Autumn is upon us once again, leaving our aging bones to protest with nature’s first frosts of the season.  Never fear, my dear, just like the flowers, it has gotten our collective attention for a reason.

We must all pay frosty dues as our aging time comes.  This year’s early frost has a cost to most of ’em flowers in my yard – except for this one fighter, but soon, it too will give in!

So, the question is…for me…and for you…shall we fight off the changes in seasons in life or should we embrace them as they come?

Post inspiration – Linda Hill’s One-Liner Wednesday – Cell Loss

PS – Oh dear, any of you gardening buffs, please do tell…is there a way to easily capture the seeds of the zinnia stalks or is it best to just by new seeds next year?  I know how to capture the morning-glory seeds, but this is my first year of zinnias.  And…do you leave the stalks of the Black-Eyed Susan’s, or cut them close to the ground, they are perennials, right?  Happy Fall Y’all!  

 

23 thoughts on “The aging fight of a Black-Eyed Susan

  1. We should embrace each stage, in the way Erik Erikson gave us in his framework of the 8 life stages. I should know, I’ve been into ALL of them, they work …. but being part of the forever young brigade is a somewhat delusional response!

    1. Ah, Dr. B – your astuteness always impresses me! PS – it is great to hear from you, I’ve missed your wisdom filled comments! Cheers!

  2. Shelley, I’m embracing the change of seasons in my life with a better attitude, healthy eating, exercise, faith, family and friends. Yeah, it can be tough getting older, when the leaves sag and our skin dries up. But, so what? Enjoy life while you can…right?

    I still have impatiens and coleus on my patio. The begonia gave up the race a few weeks ago, but the rest are fighters, at least until a heavy frost comes around.

    1. Yes, Mary, you are doing so well with aging. I’m always impressed to read what you’re up to. I speculate, just like me, having a mom with dementia it helps us realize life is short, smell the roses, laugh a lot, enjoy the things that matter most, and don’t give up the fight for a healthy journey along the way! And – give thanks, as you said in your gratitude post! Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I’m impressed your impatiens are hanging on this long!!

  3. Thanks Shelley…and you are welcome! The impatiens are probably hanging on because they’re on a second floor patio, next to the building. They are probably a little bit warmer than something planted in the ground. I’m always a bit sad to see them go and have an empty patio.

    1. Yeah, I hear ya, I’m feeling a bit of the ‘oh-no the colors in the yard are soon to go’ blues too! We’ll make it through winter yet again, yes, we will!

  4. Sorry, not a gardener so I can’t help with your flower questions. I am trying to enjoy the aging process rather than just let it take me over. I have things I still want to do!

  5. Every time I photograph flowers – the vibrant amongst the dying – I think that nature is sending me a gentle reminder. Lovely post.

  6. Yes, aging is all around us. Embrace it? Might as well – as it will march on anyway. Easier said than done though. In this youth oriented culture I think that we seem to become invisible over time – it may be harder than it should be to embrace. But I also wonder if decades ago, we all did not “see” the aging among us either.
    Also – we used to have black eyed susans. Sometimes we cut them and sometimes we didn’t – either way they spread like crazy!
    I enjoyed reading your post. 🙂

    1. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on aging. I have a hunch you wouldn’t be one of the invisible ones no matter what age ;-)! Oh, dear, I hope I planted them in good spots then if they’ll be taking over! Glad you enjoyed the post 🙂

  7. Zero gardening tips here. You wouldn’t want them anyway, I’m like the kiss of death. 😆
    I vote embrace it. I used to cringe when someone referred to us as the old folks but whatever — I’ve earned these years!

    1. Good to know about your gardening gifts ;-)! Yes! Embrace it, we’ve earned it!! YAY!! Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

  8. I’m all about embracing things as they come (with a little planning of course). I was sad to see my sunflowers, turn to seed, wither and die, but I collected lots of seeds and will plant another batch next spring! I believe we can always count on the seasons!

    1. LOL – yes, with a little planning it is fun to embrace the changes. I should try sunflowers sometime, they are so pretty. You’ve captured some amazing photos of yours this year. Plus and I like that they produce the seeds needed for the following year. I do that with my marigolds and morning glories. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Terri! Happy photo clicking to you!

  9. I think you and I, who have both allowed our hair to go gray, know the answer to that question. Embrace the changes as they come! It’s just that letting go of the past is so darn difficult sometimes!

    1. Yes, gray hairs of wisdom I call them! So, very, true some of our past stuff is hard to let go of, no matter how hard we try.

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