Spring flowers remind Tribune columnist to pause and enjoy life’s fleeting beauty

In 2021, I gave my son and housemate Brian a T-shirt with this slogan on it: “It’s been one of those days for like three years now.”

A year later, I gave him two more tees just like it — because he had worn out the first one.

For some time, Brian has struggled with a chronic stomach disorder called gastroparesis. Unfortunately, despite treatments in January that included Botox injections to his esophageal sphincter, his flare-ups have been happening more often.

Recently, he had three visits to the hospital emergency room in the span of 10 days.

I was beyond worried, but there wasn’t much I could do but fret and be supportive.

Then, on April 21, the doorbell rang.

Elaine Beckham, my friend of many decades, stood there unexpectedly, smiling and holding out a bunch of vivid, multi-colored sweet peas.

“I was at the (Cambria) farmers market,” she said simply. “I thought you might like some flowers.”

Her spontaneous kindness made me cry.

Elaine hadn’t even known about Brian’s latest ER visits, because I hadn’t had time to keep my friends updated.

Somehow, she had instinctively sensed that I needed a lift and a reminder that people care.

Gift is reminder that beauty is fleeting

Elaine’s gift was a timely reminder that, while friendship and love can last forever, some other glorious things in life are fleeting.

Take a first kiss. A huge wave hitting a cliff. Sunsets. Rainbows. The colorful wildflowers that pop up across San Luis Obispo County in the spring.

It’s the same with fragile sweet peas that wilt quickly.

You have to enjoy them while you can because they’re gone soon, although the sweet memories linger much longer.

The next time I headed to town, this time to get some prescriptions for Brian, I took a hint from Elaine’s sweet gift and paused for a minute to look around before I left.

I tried to remind myself to stop, be aware, put my phone away and pay attention to what’s out there. In other words, enjoy the moment.

It’s advice I’ve heard and given so often.

Given the pressure of various health crises, I just hadn’t taken time to do it.

I’m so glad I did. Otherwise, I might have missed seeing Mother Nature’s counterpoint to Elaine’s sweet peas.

Wildflowers greeted Tribune columnist at Cambria home

When we moved into our house in Cambria 14 years ago, a tiny grouping of wild iris greeted us.

The iris was my mom’s favorite flower, so every time I see them, I think of her, smile and blow her a kiss.

On moving day, the irises suddenly popped their spiky leaves and royal blue-purple heads out of the greenery in the semi-circle between our driveway and the street.

It was Mother Nature’s welcome home message!

Those beautiful native plants have greeted us each spring — providing an annual blend of astonishment and joy, often just when we need it most.

Spring brings garden flowers

As I headed for Cambria’s downtown pharmacy, I paused to see our few irises in bloom.

Prompted by Elaine’s gift, I’d pledged to enjoy their ephemeral beauty as long as possible. Then I looked past them to the other side of the trees and shrubs.

There was a large sweep of dozens of new irises, all blooming in the filtered sunshine. The display of volunteers was flanked by huge mounds of yellow euryops daisies and a low, rambling hedge of deep blue rosemary.

Mother Nature was letting me know things would be OK. It just might take some time.

How astonishing it was for that tiny floral clump to suddenly expand like over-yeasted bread dough!

The winter’s deluging storms undoubtedly contributed to the unexpected expanse, and I was grateful for it.

Taking the hint, I looked around further. I saw that the yard and garden held other floral surprises for me.

Three large Cymbidium orchid plants that survive on benign neglect and a little water had all decided to bloom at the same time.

A gawky succulent with a 3-foot-long stem had produced a tall, yellow, cone-shaped bloom that lasts for weeks.

Geraniums that had been snoozing through the winter awakened in a riot of reds and pinks from their long nap.

Not to be outdone, our Japanese maple trees went from bare limbs to a blaze of scarlet leaves.

Pause to enjoy nature’s bounty

Sure, I’m still worried about my son’s health, and I’m dealing with a serious time crunch as I juggle the pressures of my job, being a newly single homemaker and a caregiver.

However, I’m putting all that on pause occasionally, long enough to really see the iris and my garden, the wildflowers, the changing shades of green on the hills and the rainbows of life.

I need to enjoy the beauty and aroma of life’s sweet peas before they fade.

Maybe, if Brian’s recovery holds, I’ll even stop by the Cambria Veterans Memorial Building for a glimpse of Friends of the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve’s Cambria Wildflower Show. It runs noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

If he’s up to it, we’ll go for a drive to see the wildflower superbloom while the blossoms are still blooming.

Things will get better, and some wildflower therapy might help us both.

Thanks for the reminder, Elaine and Mama Nature.

This story was originally published April 26, 2023 at 1:37 PM.

Kathe Tanner

The Tribune

805-781-7904 (voicemails only)

Kathe Tanner has been writing about the people and places of SLO County’s North Coast since 1981, first as a columnist and then also as a reporter. Her career has included stints as a bakery owner, public relations director, radio host, trail guide and jewelry designer. She has been a resident of Cambria for more than four decades, and if it’s happening in town, Kathe knows about it.