Monday, October 30, 2006

The Flower


Once in a golden hour
I cast to earth a seed.

Up there came a flower,

The people said, a weed.


To and fro they went
Thro' my garden bower,

And muttering discontent

Cursed me and my flower.


Then it grew so tall

It wore a crown of light,

But thieves from o'er the wall
Stole the seed by night.


Sow'd it far and wide

By every town and tower,

Till all the people cried,

"Splendid is the flower!"

Read my little fable:

He that runs may read.

Most can raise the flowers now,

For all have got the seed.


And some are pretty enough,

And some are poor indeed;

And now again the people

Call it but a weed.
by Lord Alfred Tennyson

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

To Risk

To laugh is to risk appearing a fool,
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental
To reach out to another is to risk involvement,
To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self
To place your ideas and dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss
To love is to risk not being loved in return,
To hope is to risk despair,
To try is to risk to failure.
But risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.
The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing is nothing.
He may avoid suffering and sorrow,
But he cannot learn, feel, change, grow or live.
Chained by his servitude he is a slave who has forfeited all freedom.
Only a person who risks is free.
The pessimist complains about the wind;
The optimist expects it to change;
And the realist adjusts the sails.


~William Arthur Ward

Monday, October 09, 2006

Bamboo



The bamboo that bends is stronger than the oak that resists.

~Japanese Proverb

Things came before people.

People came before words.


Tall, green, and nameless,

bamboo walked down centuries
and crossed continents
in time to stand there, waiting,
naked of language,
when the first people came
to make the first village.

~Anonymous


I have always been fascinated by bamboo trees. They look so stong, resilient and elegant. Did you know that the bamboo actually belongs to the grass family?