I’m Challenging You to be Crocus Minded

There is a marvel of nature that reveals itself without fail in late February and early March. In spite of the frozen ground, the remaining snow, the freezing nights and the cold days, life begins to spring forth.

There is no more visible or welcome sign of spring stirring than the first flowers of the season: snow drops and crocuses and grape hyacinths.

At first glance, they appear fragile. These are small flowers that hug the ground. They most often are nestled in grasses or fallen leaves. They offer their colors to the world in the blink of an eye.

Their appearance is a vivid reminder of the rhythm of life, the approaching warmer days, and the beginning of a new season.

While I celebrate the earliest of spring flowers, I am without fail reminded of one of my favorite poems by Jo Sorley. This is a poem I lean into when I am searching for courage. When I know I need to speak and find myself holding back. When I see a wrong and wonder what to do about it.

And so I share Sorley’s poem for you. Because in this time there are many wrongs that need righted. Many times we need to bolster our courage. Many voices that need heard.

It is my hope that Sorley’s poem inspired you and me and others to be as strong, hopeful, and audacious as the tiny crocus that is willing to show up early and regularly to announce that change is coming.

Crocus-Minded

It takes courage to be crocus-minded.
God, I’d rather wait until June,
Like wise roses,
When the hazards of winter are safely behind,
and I’m expected, and everything’s ready for roses.
But crocuses?

Highly irregular.
Knifing through hard-frozen ground and snow,
and sticking their necks out,
because they believe in spring
and have something personal
and emphatic to say about it.

God, I am by nature rose-minded.
Even when I have studied the situation here
and know there are wrongs that need righting,
affirmations that need stating,
and know also that my speaking out may offend . . .for it rocks the boat . . .

Well, I’d rather wait until June.
Maybe later things will work themselves out,
and we won’t have to make an issue of it.

God, forgive, wrongs don’t work themselves out.
Injustices and inequities and hurts don’t just dissolve.
Somebody has to stick her neck out,
Somebody who cares enough to think through
and work through hard ground,
because she believes and has something personal
and emphatic to say about it.

Me God? Crocus-minded?
Could it be that there are things that need to be said,
and you want me to say them?

I pray for courage.

By Jon Sorley