The Tulip Lesson
May is such a delightful month, especially here, in the loveliest area of West Michigan.
Spring, daffodils, tulips, Tulip Time Festival, and the Mother’s Day- all in one month…
Aren’t we all grateful to the local families who dedicated their lives to keep the tradition of tulip growing alive for several generations now?! And how glorious for all of us and visitors of our towns to enjoy them?!
Mother’s Day, celebrated here in the USA (but not in the country of my origin-we celebrate International Women’s Day, an official holiday and day off), has always brought me to a philosophical state of mind. Why? So many emotions related to a motherhood in general, to where a woman in her life is, and her personal circumstances.
My previous professional background in the field of adoption had shed quite a different light on motherhood. I have learned that for some of us, it is biologically natural to be a mother. For others, due to several circumstances, health being one of them, it is not. And then, with my latest professional involvement, as a painter and art teacher, I was closely involved with a variety of groups, from adopted children to adoptive parents, to mothers who lost their daughters and sons in or after military service…
Well, with this article, it has not been my purpose to bring sadness to the times of celebration of spring and mothers. But The ART of Living with JOY certainly includes creating positive surroundings not only personally for lucky us, but also for the ones around us, perhaps not so “lucky”.
Every event, opinion, standpoint, circumstance has more than one side, don’t you think?
I learned that quite early, at the age of ten. It happened in Cairo when my best friend there, an Arabic girl of my age, talked about her god Allah and I, an innocent Soviet child who was taught to be a strong atheist, smiled in response and with a gesture language we used, I expressed my opinion that there was no God. The effect that I witnessed taught me a serious lesson: I hurt her immensely, and I almost lost my beloved friend Hala.
It is yet another reason to remind ourselves to be aware of our surroundings, to remind ourselves that not everything is black and white, to be reminded that while it is a celebration for some, it is a reminder of a loss to others.
In our faster and faster life pace those non-personal things could be easily overlooked. Thus, take a pause, look around before you make social media posts.
Everything in this world is subjective. Everything in this world has more than one perspective. It depends on so many things, from societal traditions and stigmas, family traditions, to personal experiences.
Be thoughtful.
Be mindful.
Look around. Be observant.
Do not rush.
Perhaps, this is the simplest and most difficult thing in our life: just be your best, kind human being, respectful to other opinions, lifestyles, tastes, etc.
How about using TULIPS as our role models: they persevere in spring cold winds, biting frost, persistent in coming out with their heads up and with a smile on their lovely faces! And if they are a bit sad…they will do so for a bit and then get back and smile at us again.
And that is the secret to The ART of Living with JOY!
Finally, on the days we celebrate Father’s and Mother’s days, I am not going to say Happy Mother’s Day. Or Happy Father’s Day.
I would rather say: Happy Human’s Day!
