Columbine (The Flower)

It had the bad luck of sporting the same name as one of the worst school tragedies in our history.  Poor flower.  I can’t look at it without feeling a little distraught inside over the events that transpired at the school that day.  To be honest with you, the Columbine I have planted in my front yard died in the late snow last year and I was happy about it.  “Good,” I remember thinking, “Now I won’t have to think about those kids every day on my way to work…” 

But then, this past weekend, I ran across this old friend of mine in the flower beds at Powell Gardens and I was happy to see it again.  I noticed the way its flowers hang down - almost like it’s head was lowered in rememberance of what happened that day.  I realized that, despite the gloomy association with its name, I missed seeing its beauty around my flower beds and think its finally time to plant some more this spring.