Being Oneself

 I was walking around the monastery grounds near our building, just meandering, and saw, off in a corner, all by itself, a singular flower, beautiful in its multicolors, yellow, orange and red.  It could be and is so easily overlooked.  It gets only some early morning sun that comes up over a mountain horizon.  But it is enough, for the flower to become its beautiful self.  The flower does not say, "I will not bloom, unless someone notices me."  It does not say, " Why am I bothering to become my beautiful self in this hidden, out of the way area of bushes and tall grass?" The flower does not need approval or much support to become itself.  It knows it is beautiful and fulfills its purpose to grow where it does.  And today, I noticed it and gave praise to the flower and the God of this creation.  So become your beautiful self no matter who sees you or ignores you.  It is always in season to become who God meant us to be.  Age matters not.