The Crooked Sunflower

In a narrow corner of the garden, a sunflower grew beside a tall wooden fence.

The fence blocked much of the sunlight. Only a small gap between two boards allowed a bright beam of sunshine to reach the flower each morning.

As the sunflower grew, she began leaning toward the gap.

A little more each day.

Soon her stalk curved so noticeably that the flowers nearby began to comment on it.

"You seem to be growing sideways," said a marigold.

"I know," said the sunflower.

"You should stand up straight."

"I would if the sun moved."

The marigold did not find this amusing.

By midsummer, the sunflower was the most crooked plant in the garden. Her stalk curved like a question mark before rising toward the sky. The gardener considered staking her, but she seemed healthy, so he left her alone.

She did not mind her unusual shape.

Every morning, sunlight streamed through the gap in the fence exactly where she expected it.

Every morning, she was there waiting.

When her flower finally opened, it bloomed directly in the patch of sunshine she had followed all summer.

The marigold looked up at it.

"I suppose you knew what you were doing after all."

The sunflower smiled.

Not everything grows in a straight line.