Flower girl
Flower girl
Howbeautiful is Spring! See this little girl—she has gone forth into the fields alone, and she has gathered a handful of blossoms—dandelions, buttercups, and pansies.
Why should the little girl gather flowers? Because they are beautiful, you will tell me. And who told you they were beautiful? You cannot tell me that, perhaps; then I will tell you.
It is God, who made us, that has told us flowers are beautiful. He made us with eyes to see, and hearts to feel their beauty. He made these things, and He formed us so that we might love them, and take pleasure in them. How good and kind is it of our Heavenly Father, to spread pleasant things around us, and give us faculties to enjoy them!
Surely, when we see so many lovely blossoms, and so many pleasant things, scattered around us, we should think with gratitude of Him who has arranged all these things; and our hearts being filled with love to Him, we should all try to please Him, by doing as He wishes us to do.
God has done other kind things for us—He has not only made flowers, but He has made truth, charity, kindness, goodness, and other things, which are called virtues. God looks on these things, as we do upon flowers, as very lovely things; and what he wishes of us, is, that our hearts shall be full of these virtues. He likes to look on a virtuous mind, as we do on a flowery garden.
Now, my little reader, you can lovethese virtues, if you please, and you can adorn yourself with them. When you have learned to love them, it will give you great pleasure to think of them, and if they dwell in your own heart, you will be happy indeed. If you love truth, if you love charity and kindness, if you are fond of everything that is good and amiable, then God will love you, and you will be cheerful and happy.