A few weeks ago, this small cactus began developing three flower buds on the very top of its single stem. The cactus has lived outdoors in a small terra-cotta pot for three winters and four springs. A slow grower, it is still only about two inches high by two inches wide. It is a very hardy little cactus that likes its winters cold and its summers sunny and warm.

After the recent night rain and next morning sun, the first cactus bud opened, revealing a big reason why throughout history, cactus plants have been thought to be gods. It was as if the fantastic world, for a short time, instantiated its presence by the surprising appearance of the little Pin Cushion Cactus flower, one of those moments when the world -- in this case, the Pin Cushion Cactus -- catches our attention and beckons us. So surely, if the various species of cacti are in fact, gods, then this flower is certainly the eye of this particular little god, a three eyed god, in fact, wide eyed for close to a week!

All gods aside, the privilege of having this miniature hardy cactus actually bloom, living outside all these years in a small terra-cotta pot -- it was sort of like an epiphany.