Gratitude Practice 2022 Nov 23: Edelweiss...a Bit About Blooming and Growing...

Last fall, in my 45th year of life, I started taking piano lessons on a beautiful piano that once belonged to my grandparents but now lives in my home. And this fall, in my 46th year of life, I learned how to play a very simple beginner version of Edelweiss…and this song…on this piano…and at this time and season of both the calendar and my personal development renders me all kinds of sentimental goo…especially around Thanksgiving.

This November marks 29 since my father died from complications caused by a sudden and tragic industrial accident. I was sixteen years old when he died and it blew my world apart and complicated and already complicated home life. When my Dad was in his early twenties he served an LDS mission in Germany. While on his mission my Dad wrote letters to a girl who lived a few blocks away and as luck would have it a once childhood acquaintance turned into a marriage and as they say the rest is history. The classic film, based off of the story of the Von Trapp Family Singers and made famous through the power of Julie Andrews and musical theater, "The Sound of Music" hit the silver screen shortly after they were wed. This film. This story. This song was a staple of my childhood and their love story.

According to a google search, "The German word 'Edelweiss' or 'Edelweiß' is a combination of 'edel' which means noble, and 'weiß' which means white. The edelweiss bloom carries a meaning of devotion. The symbolism of devotion derives from the fact that the edelweiss flower grows in some of the toughest alpine conditions in the world." This song, and its beautiful melody and meaning…all about a tough little determined noble white flower courageously bloomingly in some of the toughest conditions…welp, that seems about right.

What are these tough conditions, really? Is it the elevation? Is it the soil makeup? Is it the lack of or abundance of water and nutrients? Is it hungry wildlife or predators that naturally graze and nibble on adjacent plants as they are trying to get needs met? What makes tough conditions tough…or the toughest? What makes some flowers bloom inside of and despite complicated conditions when others just don't…or won't…or can't. What is it about these brave little flowers that stands out so much that they get their own beloved ballad? Did my good parents know?…. Could they have known that one day their grown adult daughter many many years after their death would feel sustained and supported and inspired by the idea of these brave little blooms blooming despite unforeseen conditions? I will probably never have the answers to these questions and it doesn't really matter in the end. What does seem to matter is that despite the abundance of hard and the acknowledgement of challenging conditions… good things…like tiny mighty white flowers…and grown up women navigating and reconciling 46 years of human-ing…have the capacity to bloom and grow. In time and from time to time...women and flowers can and will continue to show up "every morning to greet you." And good things and "even happiness" will continue to…"bloom and grow…bloom and grow forever."

Grateful for this humble piano and its place in my home. Grateful to be learning how to move my fingers across these black and white keys which somehow and sometimes results in recognizable music…not always, but sometimes. Grateful for my dear, kind, patient and insightful piano teacher who visits my home once a week to share her talents and skills with me and my kiddo. Grateful for her gentleness and ongoing forgiveness of my sketchy practicing habits which are clearly evidenced with every lesson. Even though we have been friends for decades, I'm sure she had no idea my connection to this song or my need to remember and be reminded of these resilient tiny flowers. Grateful for the sacred unknown knowing between friends.

Grateful I can now play a very simple yet sweet version of this tender song on this cherished piano. Grateful for this combination that produces so many melancholy sentimental memories and inspiring reminders to "bloom and grow"…."bloom and grow forever"…all the while learning how to "bless the homeland forever."