I was trying in this dream to compose a sentence that would encapsulate the existence of this plant: its flowers were an explosive red, it grew with vigour, its branches sprang out from its stem in a satisfying, meaningful shape. The fact that it grew on the very rim of nothingness was of no concern to it. It grew, it was firmly rooted, it blossomed, it was.
— Helen Garner, One Day I’ll Remember This: Diaries 1987–1995.
Notes:
Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash
love the imagery of her words
And in a sense we all live on the edge, the unknown and in spite of reservations or pause…we grow too
We grow or else…..
Exactly!
Or else we stagnate, and we lose our way in life. Might as well Keep Going!
I guess I should have said: “Keep GROWING!”
Beautiful passage Dave. Thanks for starting the week on a positive note!
Exactly!
A modern Mary Oliver? Meaningful, indeed.
yes!
This reminds me of the quote, “bloom where you are planted.” Lovely.
“Bloom where you are planted.” Love this and had never heard of it before. So A.I. Bard to the rescue:
The exact phrase “bloom where you are planted” is attributed to Saint Francis de Sales (1567-1622), the Bishop of Geneva and Doctor of the Church. However, the sentiment of the phrase is much older, and can be found in many different cultures and religions.
For example, the French have a saying from the 15th century: “Fleuris là où tu es plantée”, which means “Bloom where you are planted.” And in the Bible, there are a number of verses that encourage Christians to be content with their current situation and to make the most of it. For example, in 1 Corinthians 7:20-24, Paul writes:
Each person should remain in the situation they were in when God called them. Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t seek your freedom. But if you can gain your freedom, do so. For he who is called by the Lord as a slave is the Lord’s freedman. The one who is called as a free person is Christ’s slave. You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of human beings. Whatever you find yourself doing, brothers and sisters, remain in that situation with God.
While the phrase “bloom where you are planted” is not explicitly mentioned in the Bible, the sentiment of the phrase is consistent with biblical teachings. It is a reminder that God has placed us where we are for a reason, and that we can make a difference in the world, no matter where we are or what our circumstances are.
The phrase “bloom where you are planted” has become popular in recent years, and is often used to encourage people to be content with their current situation and to make the most of their opportunities. It is a reminder that we can all make a difference in the world, regardless of our circumstances.
Love this! Thanks for sharing. And I love how you’re using AI haha, I feel like I still need to figure out how to approach it..
Yes. I will say that 30-50% of the time it is incorrect, as when you aggregate garbage you still get garbage but I do find it useful to save time…recognizing that validating its responses is a requirement.
Makes sense!