A story for you today:
🥀 The Story of the Two Flowers
There were once two flowers in a farmer’s field.
As seeds, one flower happened to fall next to a fence post, and the other fell a distance away in the open field.
Day by day, the flower in the field and the flower next to the post grew–unfurling their green tendrils, and opening their first leaves.
As time went on, the flower next to the post started to grow faster.
He had the support of the post to lean against, and the shade of the post to cool him from the hot sun.
Meanwhile, the flower in the open field struggled to grow.
The sun beat down on him, and he had little support as he grew.
Often the flower in the field blew and bent in the wind.
All he could do was dig his little roots deeper into the ground.
Soon enough, the flower next to the post grew a flower bud.
The appearance of his new beautiful bud made him arrogant, and he began mocking the flower in the field.
“Look how small you are compared to me! Look how much faster I grow! You don’t even have a flower bud yet!,” he said mockingly.
The flower in the field felt ashamed.
He felt so small compared to the flower on the post.
All the flower in the field could do was dig his roots deeper, and trust himself that he would grow into the beautiful flower he was to destined to become.
One day, the farmer who owned the field drove to the fence where the flowers grew.
One by one, the farmer removed all the posts and put them into the back of his truck, then drove away.
After the farmer left, the flower that was once next to the post continued to mock the flower in the field.
“No matter!”
“Look how beautiful, big and strong I am!”
“I will be just as well without my post.”
All the flower in the field could do was dig his little roots deeper into the ground.
Soon after, a big storm blew over the field.
Dark skies, strong winds, and lightning filled the air.
The flower in the field had been through storms like this before.
He’d grown strong roots beneath the soil from them.
The flower next the post, however, had not faced a storm this big alone.
Although he was bigger, and more beautiful–his roots were not as strong.
He became frightened as the wind picked up faster and faster.
Soon his roots began to come up.
Throughout all this, the flower in the field held firm–his strong roots anchoring him into the soil.
After the storm had passed, the flower that was once next to the post was in bad shape.
He lost his bud and was bent over with many of his roots exposed.
“Help me!”
“My roots are exposed!
“I will die like this!,” he screamed.
The flower in the field did what he could.
He spread out his leaves and tried to cover the exposed roots from the sun.
Over the coming weeks the flower next to the post was slowly able to get his roots back into the ground.
But now, instead of growing upwards, he grew at an awkward angle.
The flower next to the post had lost his beauty, and was barely alive.
He never quite recovered and only grew a few more flowers throughout his life.
Meanwhile, something incredible happened to the flower in the field.
He had gotten stronger after the storm.
His deep roots helped him stay safely rooted, and that helped him grow bigger and bigger.
Soon, he grew a magnificent flower bud, and in a short time it began opening brightly colored petals.
Eventually, the flower in the field grew into a beautiful plant full of buds, and blossoms and flowers–making seeds, and spreading his beauty throughout the field for all to enjoy.
The end.
This simple story illustrates a deeper truth:
Struggle is the secret to becoming who you are.
Struggle is the secret of your growth, transformation and success.
Like the little flower in the field, our struggles root us into who we are to become.
Modern society is all about convenience and removing as much struggle from life as possible, but to what end?
Like the flower next to the post, the farmer could come at any time and remove the support we’ve been dependent on.
Of course, we all need support from time to time.
That’s natural.
But growing strong roots is essential too.
Struggle is the most difficult, yet kind thing our experience on Earth gives us.
Obviously, life isn’t meant to purely be about struggle.
It’s also about joy, and connection, and laughter and playfulness.
But we don’t have a problem with this these things, do we?
We don’t need to work on dealing with them or processing them.
With struggle–it’s different.
Spiritual practice is the ultimate tool to transform our struggles and suffering into transformation and joy.
Ultimately, through committed spiritual practice, we can access the profound realization that the greatest support comes from within ourselves–from our own resilient roots and connection to the Divine Source nourishing us all.
I hope you found The Story of the Two Flowers inspiring.
Whatever struggles you’re going through, I hope you know that all the resources you need are there within you.
When you dig deep into yourself, you can weather any struggle life throws at you.
Getting stronger and stronger as your roots grow deeper within.
