Image by Tatters:) via FlickrI noticed a man on the platform this morning.An average looking man.
There was nothing special about his appearance.
Except this: A silk kerchief poked up from the breast pocket of his overcoat, its soft folds undulating forth from the slit in the wool.
The kerchief was pure decoration - its only function to embellish, to make the man look more pleasing to himself and others.
A graceful red flower blooming against a backdrop of dark blue.
A visual flourish.
And a signal of intent.
It was not so much the flourish I noticed as the intent behind it.
Flourish as noun manifesting the presence of flourish as verb.
This man was flourishing, blooming, blossoming, flowering in his own way.
And he was not afraid to show it.
The flowers that grow in our gardens are programmed to bloom. Give them sunlight, water, healthy soil, and protection from predators, and beautiful blooms will come.
Flowers do not intend to bloom; they just do.
We are like flowers and also different.
Like flowers, we need light, nourishment, a healthy environment, and safety to flourish.
Unlike flowers, we were given the gift of free will.
We possess the ability to act from intent, to decide whether or not we will flourish.
Sometimes, we decide not to flourish because we question whether others will like our colors.
Sometimes, we decide not to flourish because we fear others will pluck, trample, or damage our blooms.
Sometimes we decide not to flourish because we worry we are not worthy.
Sometimes we decide not to flourish through denial and sacrifice.
And sometimes, we decide we've had enough of questioning, fear, worry, and sacrifice - enough.
And that is when we burst forth and bloom.
