The Daffodil Principle The Daffodil Principle

The Daffodil Principle The Daffodil Principle

Several times my daughter had telephoned to say, "Nother, you must come to Several times my daughter had telephoned to say, "Nother, you must come to
see the daffodils before they are over." see the daffodils before they are over."
! wanted to go, but it was a two ! wanted to go, but it was a two hour drive from Laguna to Lake Arrowhead hour drive from Laguna to Lake Arrowhead
"! will come next Tuesday", ! promised a little reluctantly on her third call. "! will come next Tuesday", ! promised a little reluctantly on her third call.
Next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, ! had promised, and reluctantly ! Next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, ! had promised, and reluctantly !
drove there. When ! finally walked into Carolyn's house ! was welcomed by the drove there. When ! finally walked into Carolyn's house ! was welcomed by the
joyful sounds of happy children. ! delightedly hugged and greeted my joyful sounds of happy children. ! delightedly hugged and greeted my
grandchildren. grandchildren.
"Forget the daffodils, Carolyn! "Forget the daffodils, Carolyn! The road is invisible in these clouds and fog, and The road is invisible in these clouds and fog, and
there is nothing in the world except you and these children that ! want to see there is nothing in the world except you and these children that ! want to see
badly enough to drive another inch!" badly enough to drive another inch!"
Ny daughter smiled calmly and said, "We drive in this all the time, Nother." Ny daughter smiled calmly and said, "We drive in this all the time, Nother."
"Well, you won't get me back on the road until it clears, and then !'m heading for "Well, you won't get me back on the road until it clears, and then !'m heading for
home!" home!" ! assured her. ! assured her.
"But first we're going to see the daffodils. !t's just a few blocks," Carolyn "But first we're going to see the daffodils. !t's just a few blocks," Carolyn
said. said. "!'ll drive. !'m used to this." "!'ll drive. !'m used to this."
"Carolyn," ! said sternly, "Please turn around." "Carolyn," ! said sternly, "Please turn around."
"!t's all right, Nother, ! promise. You will never forgive yourself if you miss this "!t's all right, Nother, ! promise. You will never forgive yourself if you miss this
experience." experience."
After about twenty minutes, we turned onto a After about twenty minutes, we turned onto a
small gravel road and ! saw a small church. small gravel road and ! saw a small church.
On the far side of the church, ! saw a hand On the far side of the church, ! saw a hand
lettered sign with an arrow that read, lettered sign with an arrow that read,
" Daffodil Carden ." " Daffodil Carden ." We got out of the car, We got out of the car,
each took a child's hand, and ! followed each took a child's hand, and ! followed
Carolyn down the path. Then, as we turned a Carolyn down the path. Then, as we turned a
corner, ! looked up and gasped. Before me corner, ! looked up and gasped. Before me
lay the most glorious sight. lay the most glorious sight.
!t looked as though someone had taken !t looked as though someone had taken
a great vat of gold and poured it over a great vat of gold and poured it over
the mountain and its surrounding the mountain and its surrounding
slopes. The flowers were planted in slopes. The flowers were planted in
majestic, swirling patterns, great majestic, swirling patterns, great
ribbons and swaths of deep orange, ribbons and swaths of deep orange,
creamy white, lemon yellow, salmon creamy white, lemon yellow, salmon
pink, and saffron and pink, and saffron and butter yellow. butter yellow.
Each different coloured variety was Each different coloured variety was
planted in large groups so that it swirled planted in large groups so that it swirled
and flowed like its own river with its and flowed like its own river with its
own unique hue. There were five acres own unique hue. There were five acres
of flowers. of flowers.
"Who did this?" ! asked Carolyn. "Who did this?" ! asked Carolyn. "]ust one "]ust one
woman," Carolyn answered. "She lives on the woman," Carolyn answered. "She lives on the
property. That's her home." Carolyn pointed property. That's her home." Carolyn pointed
to a well to a well kept small A kept small A frame house, modestly frame house, modestly
sitting in the midst of all that glory. sitting in the midst of all that glory.
We walked up to the house. We walked up to the house.
On the patio, we saw a poster. "Answers to On the patio, we saw a poster. "Answers to
the Questions ! Know You Are Asking", was the Questions ! Know You Are Asking", was
the headline. The first answer was a simple the headline. The first answer was a simple
one. "S0,000 bulbs," it read. The second one. "S0,000 bulbs," it read. The second
answer was, "One at a time, by one woman. answer was, "One at a time, by one woman.
Two hands, two feet, and one brain." The Two hands, two feet, and one brain." The
third answer was, "Began in 13S8." third answer was, "Began in 13S8."
For me, that moment was a life For me, that moment was a life changing changing
experience. ! thought of this woman whom ! experience. ! thought of this woman whom !
had never met, who, had never met, who, almost fifty years before, almost fifty years before,
had begun, one bulb at a time, to bring her had begun, one bulb at a time, to bring her
vision of beauty and joy to an obscure vision of beauty and joy to an obscure
mountaintop. Planting one bulb at a time, mountaintop. Planting one bulb at a time,
year after year, this unknown woman had year after year, this unknown woman had
forever changed the world in which she lived. forever changed the world in which she lived.
One day at a time, she had created something One day at a time, she had created something
of extraordinary magnificence, beauty, and of extraordinary magnificence, beauty, and
inspiration. The principle her daffodil garden inspiration. The principle her daffodil garden
taught is one of the greatest principles of taught is one of the greatest principles of
celebration. celebration.
That is, learning to move toward our That is, learning to move toward our
goals and desires one step at a time, goals and desires one step at a time,
often just one baby step at a time and often just one baby step at a time and
learning to love the doing, learning to learning to love the doing, learning to
use the accumulation of time. When we use the accumulation of time. When we
multiply tiny pieces of time with small multiply tiny pieces of time with small
increments of daily effort, we too will increments of daily effort, we too will
find we can accomplish magnificent find we can accomplish magnificent
things. things.
We can change the world . We can change the world .
"!t makes me sad in a way," ! admitted to Carolyn. "!t makes me sad in a way," ! admitted to Carolyn.
"What might ! have accomplished if ! had thought of "What might ! have accomplished if ! had thought of
a wonderful goal thirty a wonderful goal thirtyfive or forty years ago and five or forty years ago and
had worked away at it 'one bulb at a time' through had worked away at it 'one bulb at a time' through
all those years? ]ust think what ! might have been all those years? ]ust think what ! might have been
able to achieve!" able to achieve!"
Ny daughter summed up the message of the day in Ny daughter summed up the message of the day in
her usual direct way. "Start tomorrow," she said. her usual direct way. "Start tomorrow," she said.
She was right. !t's so pointless to think of the lost She was right. !t's so pointless to think of the lost
hours of yesterdays. The way to make learning, a hours of yesterdays. The way to make learning, a
lesson of celebration instead of a cause for regret is lesson of celebration instead of a cause for regret is
only to ask, "How can ! put this to use today?" only to ask, "How can ! put this to use today?"
se the Daffodil Principle. Stop waiting..... se the Daffodil Principle. Stop waiting.....
ntil your car or home is paid off ntil your car or home is paid off
ntil you get a new car or home ntil you get a new car or home
ntil your kids leave the house ntil your kids leave the house
ntil you go back to school ntil you go back to school
ntil you finish school ntil you finish school
ntil you clean the house ntil you clean the house
ntil you organize the garage ntil you organize the garage
ntil you clean off your desk ntil you clean off your desk
ntil you lose 10 lbs. ntil you lose 10 lbs.
ntil you gain 10 lbs. ntil you gain 10 lbs.
ntil you get married ntil you get married
ntil you get a divorce ntil you get a divorce
ntil you have kids ntil you have kids
ntil the kids go to school ntil the kids go to school
ntil you retire ntil you retire
ntil summer ntil summer
ntil spring ntil spring
ntil winter ntil winter
ntil fall ntil fall
ntil you die... ntil you die...
There is no better time than right now There is no better time than right now
to be happy. to be happy.
Happiness is a journey, not a Happiness is a journey, not a
destination. destination.
So work like you don't need money. So work like you don't need money.
Love like you've never been hurt, and, Love like you've never been hurt, and,
Dance like no one's watching. Dance like no one's watching.
Wishing you a beautiful, daffodil day! Wishing you a beautiful, daffodil day!
Don't be afraid that your life will end, be Don't be afraid that your life will end, be
afraid that it will never begin. afraid that it will never begin.
!f you want to brighten someone's day, pass !f you want to brighten someone's day, pass
this on to someone special. this on to someone special.
! just did ! just did. .