In 2007, my mom sent me an email. One of those chain emails that asked you to share with 10 of your friend's. I know, that was a “then” thing and now it’s “liking“ and “sharing” all of your friends post. But my point here is, she sent me one that was a beautiful poem called “Unfolding the Rose" and it touched my soul.
At the time, I was taking a stained glass class. I spoke to my teacher about wanting to make four windows for my living room and dining room. I had four square windows in a row. They were installed in 1935 and needed to be replaced.
My teacher, Nick Parrendo, a master of stained glass, told me that I could go there every Saturday and use his studio space to make the windows. So, I got busy drawing my pattern. I had a little trouble drawing the rose in different stages of opening, so he showed me an easy way to do it. It took me eight Saturdays, 7 hours each, to complete all four. When I hit the go button, I go! I’ve now had these windows for 14 years and suddenly their message is crystal clear.
“If you force a flower to open, you will destroy it"
from the Gaia movie "Inner Worlds, Outer Worlds"
How interesting it is that those words meant something entirely different to me 14 years ago. Let me explain.
Have you ever read something and thought you understood its meaning, only to come across the same thing a few years later, read it again and now it means something more and you’re sure you understand it now, but you stumble across it again, you read it and suddenly you have the chills down your spine? In this Eureka moment, all of the pieces of the puzzle come together.
Why? Because, we all go through stages of learning and opening. Like the rosebud whose petals are tightly pressed together, only a certain amount of sun can get in and as we gain more knowledge through life experiences we blossom more and more and allow more sunlight to enter into us.
"When the student is ready, the teacher will appear"
Buddah
Sometimes we are not ready for the message and sometimes, when we still ourselves and just allow ourselves to be, we invite the sunlight in and connect to a brilliantly beautiful light that dazzles us and suddenly we recognize that light is also ours and we remember who we are!
So, we all are where we are on the path. Some are a little further along and some are behind, but trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be at this moment.
I love you,
Sharon