On the way in from the airport, the car service driver entertained me with the story of Cluj’s recent snow. In addition to the sheer quantity of the snowfall this late in the spring, the larger context of catching everyone by surprise was the fact that it followed two full weeks of cherry blossoms.
“Are there any cherry blossoms left?”
“Not many. The snow wiped most trees clean.”
In my acceptance of the story at face value, I blissfully assumed that whatever I was seeing on the trees, it was not a cherry blossom.
As I walked out of the hotel towards Old Town, I was in full stride trying to keep warm. My eyes focused primarily on my feet, making sure I was sure footed on the wet street pavement. With a branch brushing my head from the side, I jerked my view to what was immediately in front of me only to realize I was head deep into a cherry tree’s low hanging branches all still in full bloom.
The smell was overwhelming. The blossoms were silk caresses on the sides of my face. Everything around me was, in that moment, stunningly beautiful! If it was not for the realization that I need to capture this scene in a picture to share, I do not think I could have mustered the will to move. Even then, I gave myself a minute or two to soak in everything my senses were conveying, letting each etch itself as piece of my memory.
In the silence of that moment of stillness, I could hear Peter’s words replaying in my mind. “You never saw him, yet you love him. You still don’t see him, yet you trust him – with laughter and singing.” (1 Peter 1.8)
Love experienced does not need to be announced. One knows when one has been touched.
Beauty does not need words to be beautiful. One’s heart can feel beauty when it is present.
One’s lack of awareness will not block out charity and kindness. You will be touched when you least expect it.
