The world is an amazing place

Something magical happened today. It was a small thing, but a very significant thing, given my state of mind these last few weeks. In my yard just outside the study from which I write this post, there is a large leopard tree. This leopard tree has been the bane of my gardening existence for two years. Leopard trees, while handsome and shade-giving, drop thousands of seedpods twice a year that cover the drive way, scratch and dent the paint-work of our cars, clog the gutters and garden beds and generally terrify the tiny critters that live in my garden. Many of the seed pods give rise to tiny seedlings, which grow like fungus around my other plants; some had even taken root in the gutter itself. It is a constant chore to clean them up so the front yard is not overrun by what has now been declared a weed in Brisbane. Obviously it would be impossible to collect every seed pod, and we still have to pluck the little seedlings out so they can’t rob important nutrients from the natives. Today as I was in the front garden plucking weeds from the garden bed, my eyes strayed to what I thought was a dying leopard tree seedling. Without hesitation, I plucked the little offender out and was ready to toss it, but something didn’t seem right. On examining it closer I realised that it was discoloured from dying as I had previously assumed, but that it was actually an albino seedling. All at once I was perplexed, excited, and most especially overjoyed to have found this little gem in my garden. Just when I was beginning to question the reality of wonderment, God/the Universe/life shows me the way. I don’t feel bad for plucking the seedling from the garden; it will only die since albino plants contain no chlorophyll, and thus cannot photosynthesise. It is a random and seemingly senseless mistake in nature, but a magical one that I cannot fail to notice.