Today, during the hottest part of the day, I decided to spend some time outside texting a friend who had been offline for a while.   I sat in the shade, but soon began to itch from the grass. I fetched a white matelasse bed cover, which I spread out on the offending grass, along with my sunscreen, hat, and tall glass of water.  As I ended my conversation with my friend, I noticed a single white clover flower.  It was all by itself in a patch of grass.  There it stood.  Proud, tall and alone.  

The clover reminded me of myself.  Standing out amongst the grass.  Strong and sturdy against the breeze.  Solitary.

Then, I raised my gaze.  I saw a few more white clover flowers close by.  There were a few of them waiting to be noticed by the lone white clover flower.  They seemed to greet the solitary flower, as if to say hey, we are here, just look for us. 

When the gaze of the solitary clover flower was too narrow, the clover nearby could not been seen.  As the clover began to look beyond itself,  the clover discovered the other flowers. 

I have been lonely, even though I was not alone.  I needed to raise my gaze like the white clover flower.  When I did, I discovered a new world.  A world of individuals, who are on the similar paths of discovery, striving together, not alone, to live a spiritual life with clarity and purpose.