An Ode to Wonderful...

If you were limited to one word for 10 years, what would you choose?

The first time I met my friend's mom was decades ago. I will call her Violet. The first thing Violet did was take my hand and show me her flower garden. She lived in the hot dry desert of Colorado, yet had her property blooming like a rose. 
It was beautiful! 

Over the years Violet showed me that she loved all things family, especially her home and garden. She wanted to make the world a better place, or at least her part of the world and did it with nearly constant service to others.
She always loved flowers and grew so many. She was compassionate, full of energy, ideas, and love of life.

Ten years ago Violet suffered a massive stroke that left her completely debilitated. As she regained strength, she was able to say one word. 

“Wonderful!”
Would you like some lunch Violet? She responded with “Wonderful!”
Would you like me to read to you? “Wonderful!”
Would you like to sit up? “Wonderful!”

When my friend would bring Violet to her home everything was “Wonderful!” with a lopsided grin.

That one word drew people to her like bees to flowers on a hot summer day.

I have learned that people who love flowers are often happier. They have kind hearts and are generally thinking of how to be gracious to others.

Our friend 'Violet' lifted people's hearts by smiling and telling them "Wonderful!" to everything they said or did for just over 10 years before her body gave up. 

What a legacy she left! What an influence!

Are flower people this way naturally so they are naturally drawn to the beauty of flowers, or do flowers make them this way?

I couldn't really say.

Either way, maybe we all just want our efforts to be received as Wonderful!

Flowers are like people. Each is beautiful in their own way. ~Miranda Kerr