There is a local farm near my house that sells flowers and gardening supplies. Every weekend, people from all over gather at this farm. They spend their afternoon purchasing unique gardening items. In the past, I never understood the enjoyment associated with this farm. I would usually wait patiently while my parents picked out the flowers we needed for our garden. It was not until this summer that I was able to recognize the pure joy associated with this farm.

Last weekend, something different happened. I did not simply wait patiently for my parents to pick out flowers. Instead, I took a different approach by taking photos of them. Do not get me wrong, I am not a photographer. But with my iPhone, I was able to showcase the pure beauty in nature. My photos helped me to recognize why these flowers were so special. I quickly developed a sense of appreciation for the flowers that were all different sizes and colors. They were unique, breathtaking, and beautiful. From lilies to daises to sunflowers, the farm had every type of flower imaginable. Previously these flowers had little impact on my life, but they now mean something more to me.

I fell in love with flowers when I realized how well they photographed. Pictures of white lilies, pink daises, and yellow sunflowers create a beautiful collage. Now I will be able to save the photos of each flower that captured my wonderful day forever. Out of all the flowers I saw, there was one that in particular that caught my eye … it was an orchid. I found it elegant, displaying characteristics of class and beauty. As I was leaving the local farm, I fell unexpectedly yet deeply in love with the blue orchid. In addition to being elegant, it was my favorite color.

Everyone has something that catches his or her eye. For me, it was the color blue. The color blue made me fall in love with orchids. My love for orchids made me fall in love with flowers. My love for flowers made me appreciate gardens. And thus, my appreciation for gardens made me thankful for gardeners that create such beautiful flowers. They are able to transform a seed into something remarkably breathtaking. A flower's size, color, and fragrance is a gift that only nurturing hands could give.

The gift of this beautiful blue orchid made me realize that unexpected beauty can appear anywhere. It is very unusual that a flower would have such meaning to me; however, an orchid now represents a new beginning, new appreciation, and new love.

A sense of appreciation is easy to develop if you are willing to take a step out of your comfort zone. Try to observe the world around you differently and learn to love new things. Because I took a step out of my comfort zone, I developed a sense of appreciation for flowers. My newfound appreciation has turned into a love for the elegance and beauty of blue orchids.