Watering Flowers in a Lover or a Friend (Thich Nhat Hanh)

His holiness, Thich Nhat Hanh, wrote of speaking his presentation and how he had noticed a woman. He said she was overcome with despair and had cried through his presentation while her partner did not seem to know what to do, or took no action to help the crying lady. Emotion can make some people very uncomfortable, or all people in some ways, or perhaps uncertain of what the best thing to do might be in a situation of great loss. An honest attempt goes a long way. The man responded to Thich Nhat Hanh's counsel of "water your friend for she is in need of water". The story is the man spent the next hours dining and pouring flowers from his mouth words of appreciation, how lovely he thought she was, important, and all the flowers she had been needing to hear from her friend about herself and especially to know she had value to him. Not only was this fantastic, but the children were surprised to see the loving nature they saw their parents exuding once they returned home.

Words are symbolic nutrients or they are more like junk-food. Post-pandemic, some people are anxious and shy. It is vulnerable and hard to give of ourselves this way, but we must do it anyways. Including even to ourselves.. Be vulnerable and other-focused in our communications while honouring our needs. Let's appreciate each other! Tending to our gardens allows beautiful things to grow over time.