That is how my husband described this rose that he noticed blooming on Saturday.  He said I really needed to capture it because it was so beautiful and made for an interesting juxtaposition in the middle of winter.

There is something about nature that always leaves me breathless.  I’m in awe of the complexity of simple beauty springing forth from the hidden world of DNA strands, cellular division, and the forceful will of mother nature.  We have had some *relatively* rough weather around here lately.  Yes, I know, it’s Southern California and we do not have a complaint coming in comparison to the weather our friends in the Northwest and East Coast have endured recently.  But, what is interesting is that in between rain storms and mudslides, we’ve had a bit of sun.  Once the clouds clear it is quite cold–a condition which is rather hostile to roses.

Yet here is this one rose, in the freezing cold, defiant, expressing her beauty in spite of the conditions she faces.  This one rose changed the entire landscape of our back yard.  Just one rose.  Life always finds a way.  And one rose can make a difference.

Just one rose.

Over the years I have noted that some of the greatest people in history were the underdogs.  They were down-trodden, less-than, marginalized, abused, and for all intents and purposes shoved to the back of the proverbial bus and told to shut up and be happy they were even allowed on the bus in the first place.  Yet our most outstanding leaders were born of this ilk.  They suffered.  They were treated unfairly.  They were regarded as if they amounted to nothing.  And, make no mistake, that treatment, that disregard, lit a fire in their bellies.  Like that lone rose, leaders have arisen over time when they were needed, brazenly daring to bring color into a grey and lifeless world.

Life always finds a way.

Somehow, this one rose, this one bold life decided, “I don’t care what my environment looks like right now, I’m blooming because I’m meant to do so.”  To me that is both a lesson and a reminder.  The lesson is that one can overcome just about anything in order to realize their potential and come into a full expression of the being they were always meant to be.

We all possess colossal potential.  The trick is, when faced with a situation that you don’t even know how to approach, think outside the box.  Easier said than done, I know.  Let’s go back to the rose.  She needed to bloom, but she didn’t do it in the dead of night.  She needed warmth and light, so she waited until the clouds parted and the sun arose.  Yet she prepared internally for that eventuality.  She toiled tirelessly in her cocoon of green warmth until finally she could show her true colors.

I believe in the main that we have all been through our fair share of shit, for lack of a better term.  I’m fairly certain that encapsulates most living beings’ experiences on some level.  But look!  It’s freezing and muddy and raining and I’ve even got goats assiduously attacking my rose bushes, but this lovely lady blossomed in spite of it all.  She knew her one role was to bloom and exude the stunning brilliance she was always meant to share.  The lesson is clear: Life finds a way.

Here is the reminder: You are a bad ass.  You brought with you into this world something of value.  And while you can huddle in your little cocoon all you want, you also have the option of sharing your brilliant colors with the world.  Is it cold and scary?  Yep.  Might you be mocked?  That’s likely.  Could you possibly make a difference on some level?  Absolutely.

Sit down and think quietly for a bit.  No TV, no music, no cell phone.  Just sit in silence.  Listen to the deepest part of your being.  It’s waiting to blossom.  Feed that for a bit every day.  Practice.  Write.  Sing.  Play.  Act.  Draw.  Paint.  Compose.  Then go out and help someone else discover their own potential.  Encourage them to go out and help someone else.  Before we know it, we’ll have a fair few roses in our global garden.

I noted that there are three more roses on that particular bush just waiting to bloom.  And they are huddled snugly beneath this one rose, who silently but boldly stated, “It’s time.”