One morning last week I was surprised at breakfast with the orchid you see above.

It was just sitting there, next to my toast, waiting for me as I rushed getting little limbs into dirty sweaters. It sat there, waiting, as I rushed down the stairs running over my impossible schedule in my mind -- the impossible balancing act that a normal day is, where I have to fit too many things into too few minutes.

I almost didn't notice it, but when I did it changed everything.

Yes, I still had to run around like a maniac, and no, the kids didn't magically put their shoes on without me <em>askingthemtodoitforthehundrethtimeOMG</em>.

The things that were out of my control before I saw it were still out of my control.

But when I saw it, I took a moment to inspect it. Was it real? Why was it there? How frivolous! A flower on a random tuesday...and it's just for me? Little me? Busy, impatient, <em>me</em>?

I paused, and ate my breakfast. Then I took the flower off my plate and put it on my stove.

It's still there. It hasn't wilted. It still works.