Flower Power
We were out of water and still had miles to go. The straps from my handmade pack were digging into my shoulders, and the blisters on my feet even had blisters. The stream we were planning to refill our water from was dried out and the only water we found was milky green with cows standing in it up to their knees. We tried to filter it, but we could only get one pump before it clogged the ceramic filter and needed to be wiped clean…a process that would usually not need to be done until all 7 of us had our 5 canteens full.
At one point, one of the instructors was standing next to me as I expressed my fear and my thirst. I said, “I’m scared.” And she said, “Me too.” I remember that moment vividly. Fear has a way of imprinting itself onto your memory. But then she looked down and saw a tiny little white flower growing from the hard cracked ground. Pointing to it with the toe of her boot she said, “Even in this harsh terrain you can still find beauty.” That little flower and her little thought has stuck with me all the way till now…22 years later. Every time I see a tiny flower in the desert, I am reminded of the possibilities that can still grow out of an inhospitable place and the beauty we can find even in the most challenging moments...as long as we keep our eyes and hearts open for them. If a little flower can do so much, imagine what you can do.
At one point, one of the instructors was standing next to me as I expressed my fear and my thirst. I said, “I’m scared.” And she said, “Me too.” I remember that moment vividly. Fear has a way of imprinting itself onto your memory. But then she looked down and saw a tiny little white flower growing from the hard cracked ground. Pointing to it with the toe of her boot she said, “Even in this harsh terrain you can still find beauty.” That little flower and her little thought has stuck with me all the way till now…22 years later. Every time I see a tiny flower in the desert, I am reminded of the possibilities that can still grow out of an inhospitable place and the beauty we can find even in the most challenging moments...as long as we keep our eyes and hearts open for them. If a little flower can do so much, imagine what you can do.
This tiny little flower was growing in the desert road and had been driven over plenty, yet still was able to bloom. I couldn’t believe it at first. I pulled it slightly to see if it was rooted, and it was. But it reminded me of this moment at SUWS, so I pass the flower and the little thought on to you.