Encouragement

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Seven Sunflowers
© 2006

by

Stephen A. Peterson


Each day the man came to the Army field hospital with seven sunflowers. He came to see and visit his only daughter in a family of 6 children. She was nearly 12 now. She became shut away in a world of a coma following an indiscriminant bombing of a vehicle full of children on it ways to school. When he would come, he sat by her bedside, looked into her shut eyes, talked to her about her brothers and friends and the beauty of an Iraqi summer.

On an extremely hot afternoon by anyone’s standards, there the man was looking into daughter’s closed eyes, stroking her long black hair with his hands and telling her another but different story about life. The seven sunflowers were present positioned next to her bed in a bottle where she would be able to see them when she opened her eyes. During this visit, he sang a little song close to her ear, brushed her hair as was his practice, and then kissed her about the forehead. She was still motionless except for the slow rise and fall of the white sheet covering her chest.

Medical staff workers wondered in the break room conversations how far this man had to walk to arrive at the Medical Aid Station Hospital each day without ever getting any feedback—no indication that she would get better, no smiles to greet his, no hugs, no thanks, nothing. He gave his love and all he ever received over his three weeks of daily visits was motionlessness, comatose breathing and a single tear from her right eye during one of the visits.

“It must be extremely difficult for this poor man to keep coming and giving so much love when she’s like this,” said one of the attending nurses.

Overhearing this nurse’s comments, the man whose college education was from Virginia Technical University in the United States responded: “She’s my only daughter whom I love. I’ll keep coming. I’ll keep bring these seven sunflowers. Ill keep telling her stories of her brothers even if she can’t say anything back. You see I love my only daughter even if she can’t love me back. I’ll never abandon my child. I’ll always come to be with her no matter the cost. Do you understand?” Those present were left speechless. Nonetheless, they admired the man’s bravery and dedication to his only daughter.

Is this not how God, the Ultimate Father responds to each and every one of His children? Even when humankind rejects Him, ignores His daily gifts and fails to return His whispers of unconditional love. He still keep coming back loving those who do and say the most outlandish act and things. It is unconditional love and it’s eternal. Yet our Eternal father’s love continues to say to the most egregious sinners among us “I love you! I am here for you!” he continues to stoke our hair, bring us the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit (wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, fear of the Lord) and wait—no matter how long it takes!

As a member of the medical team left to attend to other patients, his eyes filled with tears of hope for the man’s daughter and for humankind. His heart was moved for the young girl who was so unconditionally loved by her Father.

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