Once upon a time the day came when the risk it took to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. With each petal that gently and elegantly opened, the care and love that had nourished that little flower for so long became abundantly - no, brilliantly - apparent. Each kiss left a small freckle on a petal; each cuddle, a small dash of color; each adventure, a small road map of veins; each giggle, a sweet scent. And so the little flower bloomed, resplendent as could be.
When the little flower first opened her new eyes, she looked around expectantly, but didn't recognize a thing. At first she thought perhaps everyone was just asleep, but after waiting and waiting, it became apparent that they wouldn't be arriving for a bit of a while. And so she stood alone, gazing at her markings when she was able to catch a glimpse of herself in a dew drop when the sun hit it just right. She would stare and reminisce, stare and reminisce, waiting, until she began to realize she wasn't in her bud anymore - she was a flower now, and it was time to do flower-things.
She tried to be brave, she did. She tried to be strong - really. But every time she'd catch a glimpse of one of her freckles or small dashes of color... every time she saw one of her little veins or a passing butterfly complimented her on her sweet scent, all she could feel was pain and longing. Everything she was reminded her of her cozy, safe life as a bud. Sometimes she wished for a snail to come along and paint over her unique markings. Sometimes she wished she could just crumple up and go back to the life of simplicity and security.
Days passed, weeks passed, months passed... but every morning she would wake up with the same feeling of emptiness, despite her best efforts to fill her days with splendid flower-things. Every morning, that is, until a tiny, humble sort of bird with sparkling mint and peach feathers flew right above her and dropped a tiny note in one of her yawning, outstretched petals. Little did she know it contained all of the secrets the Universe held, and she was about to become privy to more wisdom than fields and fields of flowers had ever hoped to possess:
"My darling -
There will come a time (now?) when you believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning
Growth demands a temporary lack of security. Fear is temporary; regret is forever. We either make ourselves miserable or we make ourselves strong; the amount of work is about the same. There is no passion in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.
When you feel like quitting, think about why you started. It will be worth it. People either inspire you or drain you - choose wisely. Sometimes people become too busy holding onto their unworthiness... Receiving love should not have to be a constant struggle; treat yourself as a queen and you shall attract a king. Wait for the one who would do anything to be your everything. It's all about falling in love with yourself, rather than looking for love to compensate for a self-love deficit. And don't be afraid to walk alone (and don't be afraid to like it). When you can be alone, you can be with others without using them as a means of escape. You have to be brave with your life so others can be brave with theirs. Choosing to be positive and having a grateful attitude is going to determine the way you live. Live your life in your own little fairytale.
Be daring, be different, be impractical - be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the common place, the slaves of the ordinary. Do not be satisfied with the stories that come before you; unfold your own myth. What sets you apart may seem like a burden, but it's not - and most of the time it's what makes you great. Most will envy the courage you have to be yourself. Don't try to change yourself so people will like you; be the real you and the right people will LOVE you. Be audacious. Your soul is rooting for you! When you stand before the Universe on your last day, be able to say, "I have nothing left; I used every thing you gave me." <3
Life shrinks or expands according to one's courage. The only person you're destined to become is the person you decide to be. The best way to predict the future is to create it. Get over your hill and see what you find there, with grace in your heart and flowers in your hair. Make it happen; shock every single one of them. You are entirely up to you. Life is as grand as you make it. Look closely at the present you are constructing - it should look like the future you are dreaming of. Once you become consciously aware of just how powerful your thoughts are, you will realize everything in your life is exactly the way YOU allow it to be.
Ever since happiness heard your name it has been running through the streets looking for you. <3 Your life is your canvass - make sure to paint yourself a lot of colorful days. All that we are is a result of what we have thought (and how we have been loved and been happy).
All this being said, would you like your adventure now, or should we have a cup of tea first?"
The little flower shed her first tear of joy since she'd become a flower - and suddenly, when she saw her reflection in that little droplet, she no longer saw all that reminded her of homesickness and loss, but rather saw the beauty and love that had gone into crafting such a unique flower as herself, and she vowed that very moment that she would honor that love and happiness and shine so bright that you could see her from the moon. She would make everyone proud. She would be the best flower that she could be with all the gratitude she had burried deep in her soul. She would carry the heart and take it to places it had never dreamed and she would do it with all of the spirit she had been so blessed with. <3
She realized everything that had led up to who she was wasn't lost in the past, it was right there with her - a part of her. And suddenly, when she looked around, she no longer felt the slightest bit lost or alone. Because she wasn't - she never had been.
"In case you haven't noticed," the bird whispered, as he cocked his head, "you are here to awaken from the illusion of separateness."
And that was the secret that was keeping the stars apart. <3
XOXO
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