The First Sprouts of Hope

It’s early February and the spring flowers are blooming. They started a few weeks ago. G-d is so kind to us. The middle of January is when the world is at it’s darkest. It’s bone freezing cold. Days are short and getting up feels like throwing off 2 tons of iron from your back in order to sit up straight.

These flowers, the fiery red Kalanit, the dandelion like Savion, and the bright purple Rakefet are the first sprouts of hope. They emerge from the depths of the earth and will stay until springtime is well underway.

It’s like that light at the end of the tunnel. Even when you are far away, it’s there. You can see it. It may not be able to illuminate much, but you know it’s there. You know there is a point where the darkness stops.

The hardest part about pain is when you don’t know how far it will last or how worse it will get.

These flowers tell us nothing about how longer we will be locked inside our homes, huddled in our blankets, or watching the rains.

They do tell us that better times lie straight ahead.

That’s life. Even in our darkest hour G-d sends us hints all around that this too shall pass.

It reminds me of the story of Joseph. He was ruler over Egypt as governor and Pharaoh for over 80 years. We, the Jewish People, lived in prosperity and peace. It wasn’t long after Joseph passed away that the treacherous Egyptian slavery began.

As leader of Egypt, he must have known this was gong to happen.

His last command to his brothers was to take his bones out of Egypt once we left.

Even two hundred years before our Exodus happened, Joseph saw a spot of light, however far or faint.

The winter will give way to spring. It happens every year.

Darkness gives way to light. It happens every morning.

Times will get rough. It is the nature of things.

The flowers will once again bloom, telling us it will soon be over.

David Ben Horin lives in Afula with his wife and children. Since moving to Israel in 2002, David has discovered writing hi-tech, hiking, coding ReactJS, religion, and hearing stories about the Land of Israel from anyone excited to tell them. He is the developer and content writer for Highway 60. Email him your favorite story at david.ben.horin@spreadyourenthusiasm.com.