IN THE SPRING by Stac SHE IS A NEWLY PLANTED CROCUS, PLACED IN THE EARTHS WOMB TO GROW. SHE SLUMBERS THERE TILL THE LAST SNOW, AWAITING THE MOMENT TO BE BORN. AS THE SNOW FADES AWAY, HER FRAIL GREEN LEAVES PEEK THROUGH THE GROUND. SLOWLY SHE GROWS AND THRIVES, HER LEAVES REACHING,REACHING FOR THE SUN. THERE SHE FINDS WARMTH AND STRENGTH, MOST OF THE THINGS SHE NEEDS TO GROW. THERE HAS BEEN NO RAIN FOR THIS TENDER LIFE, BUT SHE REACHES OTHER PLACES FOR WATER. BECAUSE SHE IS SO INNOCENT AND TRUSTING, SHE BEGINS TO PUSH HER BLOOM UP TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD. HER FLOWER BEGINS TO ENTERTAIN THE WORLD, THEN, SUDDENLY ALL THINGS CHANGE. AN UNCARING, EVIL ANIMAL BITES OFF THE PRECIOUS BLOOM, DESTROYING THE ESSENCE OF THIS BEAUTY. EVEN THOUGH SHE IS DAMAGED AND DISFIGURED, SHE CONTINUES TO TRY TO SURVIVE. FALL COMES ONCE AGAIN, ALL LIFE IS SUSPENDED AND TIME STANDS STILL. WHILE TRYING TO STAY SAFELY HUDDLED UNDER GROUND, SHE HOPES SHE WILL ONCE AGAIN BLOOM. REMEMBERING THE DESTRUCTION AND PAIN OF THE PAST, SHE VOWS TO FIGHT ON AND ONCE AGAIN GROW. THE AIR AROUND HER BEGINS TO WARM, A TWINKLE OF LIFE AWAKENS INSIDE. SHE ONCE AGAIN REACHES HER LEAVES THROUGH THE EARTH, DETERMINED TO GROW AGAIN. THEN SUDDENLY BACK COMES THE SNOW, FLATTENING HER SPROUTS TO THE GROUND. IT RESTS SO HEAVY ON THE FRAIL GROWTHS, NEARLY SUFFOCATING ITS VERY LIFE. SHE PROTECTS HER FLOWER SAFELY BELOW THE SURFACE, DETERMINED THAT THIS WILL NOT DESTROY HER. THE SNOW MELTS AND SHE TRIES TO GROW AGAIN, BUT EACH TIME THE SNOW RETURNS AND WEIGHS HER DOWN. SHE BECOMES SAD AND HOPELESS, SURE SHE’LL NEVER SURVIVE TO BLOOM AGAIN. A BEAUTIFUL BUTTERFLY FLOATS DOWN AND RESTS BESIDE HER, HE WHISPERS TO HER THAT THE SNOW WILL NOT LAST. HE REMINDS HER THAT EVERY TIME SHE TRIES TO GROW AGAIN, SHE BECOMES THAT MUCH BIGGER AND STRONGER. EVEN THOUGH SHE FEELS SHE IS DEFORMED AND DISFIGURED, THE BUTTERFLY TELLS HER SHE IS PERFECT AS SHE IS. AS TIME GOES BY SHE BEGINS TO SEE THE BUTTERFLY AS A FRIEND, TRUSTING HIM AND FEELING SAFE WITH HIM. ONE DAY THE BUTTERFLY SAID "IT’S TIME TO TRUST, REACH YOUR BLOOM UP TOWARD THE SUN, I’LL BE RIGHT HERE". TRUSTING, THE CLOSED BLOOM REACHED SLOWLY UPWARD, JUST A LITTLE AT A TIME. SLOWLY THE BUTTERFLY AND THE WARM SUN MADE HER FEEL SAFER, REMEMBERING THE PAST, SHE CHANCED TO OPEN HER FLOWER. OVER TIME THE FLOWER OPENED WIDER AND WIDER, FINALLY ABLE TO LET ALL THE SUN’S LIFE IN. FOR THE FIRST TIME SHE FELT SHE COULD GIVE TO THE EARTH, FREELY SHARING HER BEAUTY AND POLLEN TO CONTINUE LIFE. SHE COULD FINALLY TAKE FROM THE EARTH, ABSORBING ALL IT’S NUTRIENTS AND RAIN. SHE WILL ALWAYS CARRY THE MEMORIES, BUT SHE NOW KNOWS SHE CAN BLOOM, SHINE AND BE LIFE.