A Camellia Grows in Corona

 

Dear Friends

The headline on the front page of the LA Times on the morning of January 10^th was stunning. Above a devastating picture were these words:

                          “EVERYTHING IS BURNED DOWN”

Just three hours after I saw that picture and read that headline, I received a text including a picture; our second grandchild had arrived! A beautiful flower named Camellia had joined her sister, named after a beautiful bird called Rosella (an Australian parrot). (This picture was after she came home).

The name Camellia has several meanings including “love”, “devotion”, “a spirit of depth”, “self-reflection”, “inner strength”, “loyalty” and “humility”. In Latin, camelia (one l) is a feminine name meaning “helper to the priest” and a form of camellia, the evergreen shrub with gorgeous flowers that bloom in winter. I hope Camellia will experience and carry forward some of these meanings in her life.

“A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” is described as “a tale of perseverance and vulnerability about a young girl as she grows up in the slums of Brooklyn, New York, and faces an unforgiving world and learns to thrive in it” But for now, with a thankful heart, I will be watching A Camellia Growing in Corona.

I cannot imagine the heavy burden and deep grief that so many are carrying after the fires, not to mention the wondering, "What now?" I pray they will find and be surprised by signs of new life and new hope, and thrive once again.

John

P.S. We were notified by a cousin in Florida that a Camellia Festival opened the day after Camellia was born. It's hard to see but it included this prize winner named Camille!