Daily Colors
Lilies on Indigo Water
What is your growth story?
Lilies grow upward from the mud at the bottom of ponds and swamps. The root of the plant struggles through the depths and muck. Strong stalks shoot up to reach sunlight, where the blossom will open to a pop of color.
Buddhists compare the growth of a lily to the path to enlightenment. We move from the depths of our humanity upward to enlightenment, which is symbolized by the flower itself.
Hindus also find the lily symbolic, because the flower opens and closes with the day and night, symbolizing death and rebirth.
This cycle reminds me of my own challenges and paths that I have taken to get to where I am today. I have been suicidal, and was hospitalized. To get back to my life and the people I cared about required a complete change of attitude and direction. I needed a rebirth of sorts to get healthy for my family. I needed to learn a new way of being, which has truly been enlightening.
Life throws many difficulties at us. What does it take for you to overcome those challenges? How do you rise up from the mud and blossom?