Every Christmas for the past few years, my brothers have sent me a pot with at least 2 amaryllis bulbs. The pots are beautiful but I see no flowers. I follow the instructions: Water. Place in full sun. Wait.
And wait and wait. Sometime around December 25, strong green shoots begin to appear. What had looked like nothing, within weeks, will become huge stalks with massive flowers. I water. I let them bathe in the sun. It takes about 2 months for the blossoms to shrink and die.
In times past, I have thrown out the bulbs and recycled the pots.
But last year I did research and found that I was to cut back the foliage and place the pot in a dark place (like the garage) and ignore it for months!
This week, I have brought the pot inside, planted the dried looking blubs in new soil, watered them, and placed in full sun.
Will I get flowers? Who knows. However, the cycle of this amazing plant is a great life lesson for me. Perhaps for you too.
In order to flower, we too might need to hunker down, take a break, and wait. This time of year, life might look rather dark. So, I will wait. And wait. And wait. Faith and patience. As poet Rabindranath Tagore penned, “Faith is a bird that sings when the dawn is still dark.”
Happy New Year!