I started Sunflower Anthem about 2 years ago when my Grandmother Louise passed away from Parkinson's Disease. Sunflowers always reminded me of her because every summer my mother would send me to visit family in California. I'd be gone 10 weeks with different family members, but my time with my grandmother was always precious to me. She lived in Northern California by a large field of Sunflowers. We'd often get sandwiches and pull over on the side of the road and eat them with the field of sunflowers as our audience. When we'd pass the closed bloom of the sunflower at night, my grandmother would often tell me, "They are sleeping."
Recently, my Aunt Theresa passed away due to complications with COVID. She lived minutes away from my grandmother and most of my memories of my summers are with the both of them. My Aunt was a vivacious, fun-loving, spiritual, and beautiful spirit. Each summer she'd take me and my two cousins (her daughters) on little trips. Sometimes to a neighboring city, other times to the ocean, but always the sunflowers were there to bid us farewell. I always felt like they talked amongst themselves about our adventures.
Sunflowers are sacred and studying about them has been eye-opening. I came to realize that I wanted to be like the young, tender sunflower who always follows the light. To me, that means looking to God in all things, no matter the circumstances. And, to realize that we are each on our own journey on this planet. No one's plan is exactly the same, and that's exactly what makes life interesting.
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