Be a Flower: Bloom beautifully!

Written by: Duran, Realyn P.

We’ve been living in a real, non-fiction world where comparing oneself to others can be the
most common but hurtful thing one could ever do to you as we always hold unto the reality of being
unique as we are. Instead of comparing ourselves to other people, why can’t we try to compare
ourselves to flowers and reflect from it? Why can’t we try to be like a flower?

When my Reading and Writing Teacher gave us an assignment to think of a topic we’re
interested in, a flashback scenario suddenly popped in my not-so-great but useful (sometimes) head.

When I was a 5-year-old, innocent, ignorant, and eager schoolgirl, I heard my teacher say
“Maybe you’re an early bloomer.” And as a young girl, I was like “An early bloomer? If there’s an
early bloomer, is there a late bloomer too? If there is, what are the deeper meaning of those words?
What are the differences between the two? There’s a lot of unsaid thoughts and unanswered questions
inside my head. I can’t stop thinking about that thing as the result of the curiosity I felt after hearing
those words.

Then there came one lovely morning, I decided to go outside to appreciate the cool air that
moves down the slopes into the valley, producing a fresh, cozy mountain breeze, and there, I saw my
Mama’s variety of colorful, tropical and pleasing flowers. Some flowers are already wilted, there are
also newly-bloomed and there’s also a lovely fully-bloomed ones. “Is these dried flowers are the early
bloomers that’s why they became a limp first? And... this newly-bloomed ones are the late
bloomers?”. A voice responded to my supposedly thoughts that I had unintentionally invoiced with,
"Yes. I turned around to see my loving, caring and gorgeous mother. I bravely stood up and boldly
face her. “Why? They are both flowers. And others have the same species. Why they do not bloom at
the same time?”.

My young, fragile and weak heart suddenly twinged when I heard my mother laugh at what I
have said. It hurts... big time. I am just asking, I am just curious, why is she laughing at me? It can be
a small thing for some but for me, it is not (maybe I was just too sensitive since then). When she saw
my watering pair of eyes, she then knelt in front of me, held my shoulders and straightly looked at me.
“Yes, they are both flowers but it doesn’t mean that they will bloom simultaneously, okay? Others
have the same species... they have the same form but they still have differences.” Our conversation
continued when I asked more about what are those similarities and differences she talks about but she
only answered me with “I want you to found out yourself.” My mama is giving me a headache at a
very young age, for real.

That statement from Mama stayed with me up until I realize the deeper meaning of it... until I
fully understand that every flower is different, even if they have the same name. Flowers from the
same species are growing different. Some are bigger, others are smaller or the leaves are different in
every stalk. In short, even if they’re all similar in a way that they have blossoms, they still remain
unique in their own.

After my realizations, whenever I see a garden full of majestic, aromatic and pleasing flowers,
it reminded me of how beautiful and exquisite life is as I always see a lot of similarities between those
perfect imperfect God’s creation such as;

Flowers do need to be expose in sunlight and needs water to survive and live longer similarly
to people.

Flowers may vary in size, shape, color, species, flourish in bunches but with love and care, it
can transform from buds to blossoms. Just like us, we may not have the same skin color, body size,
age or in other factors, but with unconditional love and tender care we will grow and we will glow
form within.

No flower lives without a company because they use to grow up all together. We can relate
that to people’s ‘No man is an island’ old but gold quote, right? As we also need an acompany in
growing up.

The colors of flower is innumerable, colors that we can’t see at first sight. To know the
resemblance of it in people’s lives , just read the previous sentence and replace the word ‘flower’ by
‘people’.

There are lots of similarities of a people’s lives to a flower. There are a lot to mention,
actually. But on the other hand, there is still this uniqueness in every creation. Flowers is unique in a
way that some of them can actually survive without water, without direct sunlight and even without
care.

Flower’s life is somehow cyclical. If they will become limp, others are reborn and they will
continue to find or catch a light directly from the sun, soak from the water and a fresh, fragrant and
lovely blossom will bloom again. That