Google said getting an amaryllis to rebloom was possible, and who could argue with such a faultless authority? Not I. These flowers stretch several inches a day once established, and when the colourful trumpets burst open, it is a sight to behold. My flower hadn’t bloomed the previous Christmas, so the result of the amaryllis-reblooming experiment was uncertain at best. 

When the growing season was winding down, I prepared the bulb for its long winter nap (well, fall nap, anyway). Off came the dried, gangly leaves. Then, I placed the pot that embodied faint hope into a box in my basement cold room to rejuvenate, and I dreamed of success another year.

The experiment worked! Sort of. I discovered the woeful truth when I retrieved it to allow it one last chance to avoid the compost bin. In my dark basement, away from appreciating eyes, that flower had willed itself to bloom. The long stem had pushed past the crumpled newspaper covering it and climbed through the interfolded box flaps. Then, it presented its magnificence—to no one. By the time I found it, the flower was dead. The crimson bloom had dried to a crispy remnant of its former glory, and not a soul had enjoyed the exquisite display. Judging by the desiccated remains, it hadn’t bloomed the previous Tuesday. I had missed the delight I had anticipated. However, the Amaryllis-Reblooming Experiment was successful, even if the schedule was less than ideal.

But that flower was just as beautiful in the chilly depths of my basement as it would have been displaying its splendour as a table centrepiece for all to enjoy. Although I missed the flower show, God didn’t. He saw that little plant doing what he designed it to do—bloom—and it wasn’t responsible for anything beyond that.

There are times when I feel that my efforts are unappreciated. At others, I don’t get the results I anticipate from something he has called me to do even though I have done my best. That’s when the lesson of the amaryllis-reblooming experiment comes to mind, and that sad flower speaks to me. I am to do what he calls me to, regardless of whether anyone sees or appreciates it. He does, and that’s all that matters. The results rest in his hands.

If you have dreams of your amaryllis reblooming, here are a couple of resources that explain the process:

https://www.longfield-gardens.com/article/how-to-get-an-amaryllis-bulb-to-rebloom

https://extension.unh.edu/blog/2019/01/can-i-get-my-amaryllis-bloom-again

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