In the shadow of a mountain, beneath a milky blue sky and bright sunshine there is a small house in a friendly suburb of Arizona. Nearby, people take walks along the dry creek bed and nature trails. They enjoy the yellow blooming cassia and green splendor of palo verde trees that sweep gracefully over the pond. A flock of geese visit the pond. Looking like statues, the geese stare across the water and they notice none of the people marveling at their beauty. A soft wind ruffles their feathers. Some people stop and take a picture. Some glance over as they continue walking their dogs. Dogs bark excitedly to make new friends with each passerby. Above, the sun gets hotter. The dogs pant and wag their tongues. It is at this warm stage of the morning that a young boy named Lachlan arrives at the small house, to visit his Grammy.
Lachlan is a toddler, not quite a little boy and not still a baby. He talks all day, though his family recognizes few words. Each new experience for Lachlan is met with the happy sounds he creates to demonstrate his pleasure. His reactions to life are happiness in its purest form. Unhindered by expectations that can cloud life. Everything Lachlan discovers is new and purely delightful to him. He never runs short of enthusiasm while he explores. Most especially he loves the backyard garden. It is in the garden, beneath a babbling fountain, that he meets a cricket for the first time.
Lachlan and his Grammy begin to tour the yard. They visit each space in search of another Gecko. The lizards are tan, difficult to notice on a fence of the same color. Lachlan peers closely. He steps onto a border of rocks, balancing his little shoes. He notices the blooming purple Pentas, struggling to stay perky during winter. He bends down to smell them, although they have no fragrance. He exclaims, “Hmm, aww!” afterward, as if they were the best petals he has smelled. He and Grammy stare at the fence and tap the fountain to see if lizards are hiding behind it. Nothing happens. Then they kneel down to the white and clay colored rocks. Grammy sees the cricket first.
“Lachlan, Look!”, says Grammy. Lachlan’s head of sunshine bends down closer to the rocks. A slight breeze blows his bangs in the air, causing his hair to stand upright. At this moment the cricket jumps directly in front of Lachlan, nearly touching his hand. “OHHH!”, Lachlan exclaims. The cricket moves slower and is no longer jumping, as though sunbathing in the heat. Time stops as he and Lachlan have a face-off. Cricket antennas twitch in the wind. Lachlan’s eyes grow wider as he meets eyes with the cricket. Too quickly, the moment passes and the cricket jumps away. Lachlan looks up at Grammy, his two hands palms up at his sides, “All Gone!”. Grammy understands his words perfectly.
We Are Always Blooming 