Whenever it is, today is the time to bloom.

The cornflowers are almost at their end.

They are one of my favorite flowers, having brought me joy from spring through early summer.

They are now at the seed-collecting stage.
Just as I was thinking it was time to clear them away, I found a single flower blooming quietly among the withered stems.

"Wait, now?"

The moment I thought that, I realized that for this little one, today is its day. I felt glad that I hadn't cleared them away too soon.

A single flower that bloomed in its own time, having endured both the intense heat and the muggy humidity.

It doesn't have to be the same as everyone else.
It makes me think that.

I told it how cute it was and decided to wait a little longer before clearing it away.

Perhaps this flower wasn't late,
but simply chose today.

Being early or late is something determined by comparing yourself to others.

If today is the day for that person,
then whenever it is, today might just be their time to bloom.

Another view 🌿
Instead of looking at what others consider "early" or "late," I look at what is there on that day, at that time. Even from a small sudachi seedling, I thought about the value of "today."