Tranquility of Order

Annie’s forsythia bush is 

blooming. My bush, just across 

the street stands naked. Buds 

aplenty, but no blossoms yet. 

The scillia is just pushing its blue head through the leaf 

clutter.

Can you spot the scillia?

I can only see the scillia because I know just when and where

to look.

In a chaotic world finding a bit of peace can be elusive if you 

don’t know just where to look. 

 Nature is the surest place for me to find the Creator steadily

 at work crafting peace. The order of spring’s unfolding brings

 me peace.

Father Thomas Keating writes, “Peace is the tranquility of 

order. It is true security.” First snowdrops last week. This

 week scillia and forsythia. Spring and the tranquility of order

 nourishes me.

I am here in this place but a moment in eternal time. Before

 me and after me there was and will be this order: 

snowdrops, scillia, forsythia.

Around these cycles of bloom I make my own rituals. When

 the forsythia bloom it’s time to freshen the bath towels. Mine

 grew stale over the winter. So I wash them first in detergent 

and hot water, then I run them through another cycle with a

 cup of vinegar, finally I finish them off with another cycle of

 hot water and ½ cup of baking soda. If it’s warm and dry, I 

dry the towels on the line. If not, it’s OK to dry them in the 

dryer.

Fresh towels, snowdrops, scillia, forsythia—may the peace of 

the tranquillity of order by yours.