I am in love with yellow daylilies. They started blooming this week at the back of our home. Naturally I was drawn to their colors. Something about yellow flowers in the middle of scorching summer heat was calming to me. Daylilies scientifically are known as Hemerocallies. Hemero for ‘day’ and Callis for ‘beauty.’ In essence they are considered ‘beauty for a day.’

So for each of the yellow daylilies I spotted, their beauty lasted for a day. These flowers go through their life cycle knowing that their essence would last only for a day. Although new buds on the flowers stalk open daily and a stalk can remain in bloom for an entire month, still every single opened flower lasts a day. Imagine going through life, knowing that your essence is for a day, what would you do? I would personally live out my day in communion with my community, and surrounded by all things that nurture and nourish my soul. Like my children. Toni Morrison’s words ‘Does your face light up when you see your children’ will be my mantra that day and I will do as Ben Okri asked by ‘infecting that day with light.’

Daylilies seem to know that. They seem to spend their day infecting the world with light. Your face lights up as soon as you see them. Their brilliant yellow will draw you in for a hello. These fascinating flowers are truly an invitation to light. Like yesterday’s post, they are in the business of being light if only for a day. It’s almost like each new bud that blooms begins their journey full of possibilities, ready for an explosion or an inner liberation of their light, pressing forward too for a moment which they know is fleeting. Pressing forward for a moment that lasts a day. I am inspired. Rather than dwelling on that fact, every release of their inward light, the brightest of yellows is for us. Every release of their light is for us to slow down. Every release helps you and I see the world differently, appreciate the world differently, while basking in our connections together. That they are willing to give this much light to us, even during scorching heat, for a day, is powerful keep worth sharing today. If you only have one day, use it by being daylilies. Infect the world with your light even if for a moment and let your beauty for the day last so long as your live. This is a keep worth passing along too. Life is truly short. Be like daylilies.