Nature did not get the memo in the spring of 2020 that a virus was killing off mankind. Nature, I learned, carries on with resolute loyalty to every challenging season. On walks far into the countryside I encountered cactus springing up into bloom along with native Texas Bluebonnets. With literally no other place to go, I could tarry across the meadow and take time to carefully scrutinize the humble prickly pear cactus. Though wild, gnarled, and lacking apparent symmetry, I found cactus to possess a proud stateliness. Each pad seemed a note in a mysterious sonata. I felt I had discovered unsung heroes of resilience and came to realize I had been gifted with a vital lesson about the beauty of endurance.