Take Care of Yourself as You Would a Flower

By: N’deye Diop, High School Intern

     When you think of flowers, you might think dainty and fragile, almost as if they surrender to anything and need constant protection. You will see flowers bloom in the grandest of gardens but also in the cracks of the most worn-down sidewalks, and on the walls of condemned buildings. Flowers spread their seeds for planting wherever they can. It doesn’t matter where a flower is, its primary goals are to grow, survive, and spread.  

     You can think of all people as flowers. All different, coming from different backgrounds with various levels of needs and desires. Sometimes you may feel fragile, as you search for happiness, growth, and sustainability. Sometimes you may need extra help, but that doesn’t take away from your resilience. The world is full of hoops and obstacles, and at times you may feel that the world is testing you. Yet, just as a flower may experience droughts and blizzards, by next spring you will see these flowers bloom again. So too, will you. 

     What makes a flower strong is not its strength, but its courage to live. The same goes for you. While flowers must wait to be watered and hope for a sunny day, you don’t have to sit around and wait. You can change the trajectory of your life with your actions to mature and better yourself. You can start shaping your life around you. You can’t always control what happens, but you can control how you react. 

     So as the autumn kicks in and all the flowers wilt away, remember to care for yourself as you would for a flower. Be kind to yourself and focus on self-care. Ask for help if you need it. Keep striving to make every day meaningful and worthwhile. Very soon you’ll see yourself bloom into the most alluring flower you were meant to be.