Lily, from living room bouquet, last week
I notice all the "nubbies" on the petals of this lily.
(Um, that's obviously not a technical term. I have no idea what these little "dots" are actually called.)
But I see these markings, and they seem to me like little protective signs to reach the center of the flower.
Maybe it's a way to have visitors pause a bit before reaching this sacred center.
"Careful! Proceed with Caution!," these nubbies seem to say.
Too bad us humans don't have these kinds of visible signs to remind others to "slow down" and proceed with care when we connect and converse.
I think of how often, whether it's from anger, insensitivity, or focusing more on my concerns, I can ignore the reminders of how tender we are all at our core.
I can sometimes forget how much we long for gentle words, a loving touch and a sense of sacred witness that honors the beautiful spirit we are.
I am in Atlanta for the quarterly Future Thinking Conference.
We are talking a lot this weekend about being curious — really, truly curious — about another. (Even when they are "criticizing" us.)
It's an arena where I'm such a beginner.
Too often I rely on what I think I know about another. Or out of laziness or self-centeredness, I don't bother to dive deeper than the surface level.
But part of being curious, for me, is to really connect in a way that appreciates the beauty and sacredness of another's souls.
I appreciate this lily for the reminder to proceed with kindness and love whenever I meet another, especially when I want to connect deeply into another's radiant spirit.
Tell me, what ways do you proceed with love when connecting with another?
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Flowering Fridays is a weekly look at flowers through the lens of what they might teach us about flowering fully in our life. Past editions are here.