Originally published on Levona.org, February 1, 2020
“Hi, Mr. Oak Tree!”
“Hi there, little Flower.”
“How did you get so tall?”
“Oh, I’ve been growing for more than 800 years.”
“Wooooooowwww…… Well, I’m just a bud. And I’m not even sure that I want to become a flower.”
“Oh! But why not?”
“Well… it’s SCARY!”
“Oh… well, of course it’s scary! But look around you. Look at the grass. Look at the clovers. Look at the trees. EVERYONE that you see is scared. But we are all here. Are you going to let your fears make your choices? Are you going to burn out your entire life, without ever really living? And besides, what right do you have to deny the world of who you are? What right do you have to deny the world of your gift? What right do you have to deny the world of your beauty? And what right do you have to deny the world of your children?”
“Maybe I can bloom only halfway?”
“If you bloom only halfway, you will love only halfway.”
“But what if I bloom all the way, and the butterflies don’t come? What if they’re afraid, too? What if they don’t see me?”
“You can’t control the butterflies. All you can do is to make yourself open, and present. That is the greatest fear, you know, and the greatest pain, with love: Not to be seen. But it goes both ways: If you show less, you will be seen less. If you show yourself completely, then those who can only handle a little bit of beauty, will only see a part of you; and those who can handle more, will see more. And those who can see a lot, will see you in all your splendor. You will ultimately find someone who is exactly as ready for love as you are.”
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