No. 11

There is space for us all to be magnificent. 

[No. 11]

DO THE CHERRY BLOSSOMS FEEL THEIR BEAUTY?

“Come see the cherry trees of a water constellation
and the round key of the rapid universe,
come touch the fire of instantaneous blue,
come before its petals are consumed.”
Pablo Neruda

Weeks ago, in Rome with my daughter, we met up with a friend’s teen at a delightful restaurant, Giggetto al Portico d’Ottavia, in the Jewish quarter. I remembered this young person from when we lived in Santa Barbara. She had a sparkle back in elementary school when I first met her. You know those people that have that special something you cannot quite name? The ones that leave a mark. Well, over fried artichokes, anchovies and chicory, we chatted about Rome, high school, our adventures to date. As we settled in, she calmly recounted the tale of recovering from a fairly recent car accident back home that was serious enough to inspire her to begin living more deliberately. Here she was, mid-senior year of high school, on her own and 6,352 miles from home in Rome, [LIVING]. I saw in her a kindred spirit as I too moved to Italy to work months after undergoing cancer treatment my senior year of college. 

Teenagers get a bad rap, and yet when given a present listening ear, they often bring forth wisdom that we ought to digest. As our lunch progressed, I was under the spell of her take on life, her intelligence, her witty humor. With a slightly sly smile, she said, “I am not exactly sure why but when people say to me, “You’re so intelligent.” I say, “I know! Thank you!” Or if they say, “You’re the funniest!” I smile and say, “Well, that’s me!” She matter of factly illustrated her philosophy that there is no reason to shy away from the great qualities that we possess. There was not a whiff of ego, nor a hint of self-deprecation. This person oozed self-ownership. A calm and captivating confidence. A sense of worth. She knows who she is and embraces opening into her delicious-ness. This cherry blossom knows her beauty, and that moment at lunch caused a seismic shift within me. 

“Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking…We are all meant to shine, as children do.”
Marianne Williamson

I brought her words up later that evening with my daughter. “How epic was she? Did you hear how she was owning her shit without laughing it away, or saying ‘Just kidding’?” I reflected on our lunch in the ensuing days as we walked over cobblestones and spoonfuls of gelato. I kept spinning over the resounding wisdom that there is space for all of us to feel our own beauty, humor and whatever else, and it might reflect rather than diminish someone else’s splendor. Mine shines light on yours, and onto infinity we go.I think of snowflakes, grass, rocks and, yes, cherry blossoms. No two are alike. So, why do we shy away from our exquisite-ness? Why do we play small? Why do we compare? Societal conditioning, self-judgment and fear are feisty beasts. And, like cherry blossoms, there are seasons during which we lie dormant, internal, reflective, and there are seasons during which we shine, blossom, open to the world. When we unfurl, I say we do so with petals spread wide, colors brightly shining in the sun for all to see. 

When I say celestial
I mean extra-terrestrial
I mean accepting the alien you’ve rejected in your own heart…
What’s it gonna take?
To free the celestial body?
Big Thief, “Spud Infinity”

I like to believe the cherry blossoms, like our sweet friend in Rome, do feel their beauty. In the world I envision, they do; they understand that there is room for us all to dazzle together. In fact, life is a call to shine, and when we blossom in each other’s company, we are breathtaking.

WHEN DO YOU FEEL YOUR BEAUTY?