 You don’t need to know me very well to know how much I love West Michigan. The lakes, the beaches, the quaint downtowns, the friendly communities--all contribute to my deep admiration for this place I am blessed enough to call home. The craziest and yet most exciting time of year to live in West Michigan is during the first week of May. During this time, Michiganders in the town of Holland celebrate the annual “Tulip Time Festival.” This began in 1929 when the City of Holland planted 100,000 tulips, which brought an overwhelming number of visitors. This further developed into a full-on festival every year when the tulips bloom. Parades, costumes, pageants, carnivals—you name it and they have it. People come from all over the world to wallow in the beauty of such a transient flower. Having lived in West Michigan for most of my life, I started to take the Tulip Time Festival for granted at a very young age. I knew I’d have the opportunity to attend every year, so it didn’t feel like that big of a deal for me. An aspect of it was inconvenient as well, at least for locals. Traffic always increased, the streets grew crowded, and it was impossible to find a seat in your favorite coffee shop downtown during the festival. Then in 2020, the 91 consecutive years of the Tulip Time Festival came to an end. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March, there was no way the festival would occur in May. For the first time since its beginning in 1929, Tulip Time was cancelled. I didn’t expect it, but I felt a sense of loss at the announcement of its cancellation. While the pandemic couldn’t stop the tulips from blooming, it did stop the parades, the carnival, the plethora of food trucks along the streets, and the large gathering of friends. Like the rest of the city of Holland, I found myself utterly disappointed. Flashforward a year later and the world finally started to open up again. While things certainly weren’t “normal,” life was beginning to head in that direction. The City of Holland decided to plan a modified version of the Tulip Time festival. No parade would take place, but food trucks, Dutch dancers, and the beautiful tulips all were to make an appearance. Having taken this event for granted my entire life, a sense of excitement filled within me in anticipation of the 2021 festival. Not being able to celebrate the occasion in 2020 made me realize how much I actually missed Tulip Time. Sometimes, we need to have things taken away to realize just how much we appreciate their presence. And if we’re lucky enough for them to come back in our lives, we’re far less likely to take them for granted again. So this year, I decided to fully take advantage of Tulip Time. I’ll be honest; I went full-on tourist. I ventured to downtown Holland multiple times with different friends, ate carnival food and took cheesy pictures in front of the tulips—all things I hadn’t done in years. I had an absolute blast, and I was also reminded to take full advantage of the opportunities in front of me—whether big or small. The loss of the 2020 Tulip Time festival taught me that when it comes to the bigger things in life, I shouldn’t make the mistake of taking them for granted. Likewise, I shouldn’t make the assumption that they will always be there. When it comes to things like family, friends, health, and security, I don’t want to wait until they’re taken away for me to realize just how important they are. What does this look like in day-to-day life? How can we fully appreciate the blessings in our lives? I’d love to hear some of your thoughts, but here’s some ideas I came up with: Tell your family you love them. Send encouraging texts to friends, even if it’s out of the blue (or be really old-school and send a letter!). If you’re blessed with good health, use it to explore nature, embark on a walk, feel the sun on your face and wind in your hair. Most importantly, give praises to God for gifts like health, safety, and love. Questions for Reflection
Photocred: Unsplash
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