Julia’s Flower

The two images of a single flower you will find in this post come from Julia Manuel (https://mamamaitri.wordpress.com/). She challenged me to write about them them based on a comment (see below) I made on her post, regarding inspiration, so here goes, This one is for you, Julia!

********************************

My original comment: “The difference in the two pics is startling! The bright red one looks so healthy and cheery and the darker colour has it’s own beauty but yes, a sadness about it, a waning or something. You could write something about the opposing themes and how it is in life depending on the lens through which you are looking. They are the same flower in different aspects.”

Julia’s response: “Oh very cool, I like that! See? Now you sound inspired why don’t you write it and I’ll give you the photos for a post”

Elsewhere, in another blog, I had admitted to not having any ideas myself, so here is my post in answer to Julia’s challenge!

I just began writing and this is what happened 😉

********************************

The Cycle of life

Life has its beginning and its ending, its ups and downs, its challenges, its joys, its lessons and rewards, its ambiguities, and its conundrums. We come into this world most likely with a sharp smack on the bottom accompanied by a loud cry and we leave this life with perhaps a soft kiss on the forehead and one final sigh.

The juxtaposition of the two images of the same flower, as seen through two different filters, made me think of the opposing themes of life, as viewed through different lenses. Here are some of my thoughts on the different aspects that come to mind.

The bright red flower represents all that is healthy, fresh, cheery and beautiful. I presume it is the original picture of the flower. It is us in the newness and vigour of youth. Bright, strong, carefree, startling, powerful. We unfold and burst into life with great enthusiasm and unflinching resolve. We are eternal, unconquerable, and unquenchable.

And then, life happens, in all of its complexities. It lifts us up on waves of enormous height and crashes us down to interminable depths. It soaks us up, wrings us out and tosses us about, until we know not who or what we are. We realize suddenly our potential brevity and fragility. But our realization is tempered by moments of pure meaning, joy and understanding, love and truth, faith and trust.

The dark flower, though it seems to be waning, is also a thing of beauty, deeper, richer, with a tinge of sadness that tugs at the heart strings. It is us as we come ever closer to the closing of life on this earth. Wisdom, strength, depth, maturity. A strange beauty, the fruit of hardship and sorrow, strength borne out of a knowledge of fragility, humility borne out of a knowledge of our temporality. Perseverance borne out of trial by fire. Endurance, even hope against all odds.

One flower.

Two different aspects.

Life in all of its terrible beauty…….

AJ

*photo credit Julia Manuel http://www.mamamaitri.wordpress.com