Last October the Montreal Friends of UCU held their annual fundraiser which was an evening of art and jazz music entitled "Tulips in Snow". We were inspired by the strength of tulips, which are such gentle looking flowers yet can thrive in the snowy springs of Montreal. The tulips reminded us of the hearty young Ukrainian generation that we are helping to thrive through our support of the Ukrainian Catholic University. At the end of our evening, guests were given a sachet containing 3 tulip bulbs for them to plant in their gardens. We hoped that the blossoming flowers year after year would remind them of the hope that was planted in Ukraine because of their generous donations and prayers. We had a few tulips left over and I planted them in my own garden last fall.
Now, I should explain to you that I am not a very good gardener. In fact, I am a terrible gardener. Worse than that, I am a lazy gardener. I put off weeding, I forget to fertilize, and I can't be bothered to read up on what plants should go in which area of the yard for proper sunlight. Then, when I notice my sad wilting foliage, in a flash of guilt I will overwater them. So it always amazes me when something manages to flourish in my garden. It is like watching a miracle happen.
This past spring, I waited with nervous anticipation for sharp green leaves to begin to appear from the ground. I am happy to report, that indeed a miracle did happen! I planted some odd looking bulbs last year and then behold, I now have beautiful strong tulips standing in my backyard. All they needed from me was the opportunity to let them grow and I provided that with a bit of soil. Now, if I had just let my tulip bulbs sit in the sachet they came in- they would have just remained bulbs, never reaching their potential. It makes me think of all the young people in Ukraine who can not afford to go to University. They are waiting for us to plant them. All they need is opportunity to grow and it is so easy to give them that. You don't need any special skills and it will not take a huge amount of time and attention on your part. They just need you to care enough to provide the funds that will place them in the right environment. And then, like the miracle of tulips, they will blossom and BECOME.
Written by Lori Dawn Horb
My mom also planted the tulip bulbs that she received during the "Tulips in Snow" fundraiser last fall, and they were just splendid. The deep purple color was quite unique in the whole neighborhood. Interestingly, the tulips didn't last long - a couple of kids, on their way to grade school, plucked a few of the flowers. Hopefully their teacher appreciated their gift...
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