The Bud Grows into a Flower

How it grows, that little bud will soon be a flower,
I have to stand further away to take the pictures now.

There is something so graceful about the horse chestnut, especially the mature trees with their sweeping branches. Sitting underneath them I hear the words "grace... a state of grace". That's something to aspire to! Calm, accepting, watching with wisdom, inspiring with a stately grace... that's what I feel the chestnut embodies. Here's the flower last weekend...

...and this morning, getting much taller now.
Those tight packed flower clusters of a fortnight ago are now growing into their own space, ready to bloom... and there lies a message from this glorious tree. We must give ourselves time... space... to grow with grace... We unfurl at exactly the right time for us... and there is a space there for us to grow into, ready to bloom into at each stage of our growth.

We can't hurry this process, this young tree is coming out much slower than others in the area, but we would never think of applying human labels such as 'backward' or 'slow'... it just 'is' & will be ready when it's ready... & will be no less spectacular because of it. A lesson from nature, I think!