When I realized my hydrangeas would finally bloom this year I was overjoyed. They’ve sat colorless for years and for whatever reason this season is different. I can’t help but smile every time I see them and simply admire their beauty as they are one of my favorite flowers.

I recently was in Martha’s Vineyard visiting a longtime friend and was in awe of her hydrangeas— at least twice the size of mine… stunning! When I came home to cut some of mine for a bouquet, I couldn’t help but notice how they were not as nice as my friend’s. They were still colorful, but stems were growing at odd angles, blooms were much smaller. I started to look at what was wrong with my hydrangeas, the very ones that brought me so much joy. How sad, right? It’s easy to compare what we have to others but it’s possible to just as quickly appreciate the beauty in what is uniquely, imperfectly ours.