This season is special for nature lovers as the gardens are beginning to be in full bloom.
It is the first time I have noticed the lotus flowers in different colours. The gardener told me that the lotus flowers are commonly seen in white colour.
The first two flowers were photographed on the same day and the third one about three weeks earlier. I found the third flower missing when I went the next day to take a photo, when it would have been in full bloom.
The bud blooms into a full flower in about five days. It is an ornamental flower and is esteemed high above the common flowers.
These flowers are fresh, fragile. fragrant and symbolise fullness of colour and texture.
The story of the lotus flower reveals a home truth.
It is so attractive that it hardly stays in the pond for a day two as those passing by would normally pluck it for table decoration. Its life is cut short by those attracted by its elegance. So in a pond of lotus flowers, what we would usually see are the plants and not flowers. The flowers are for the beholder. But the flowers do not last long enough in the pond for it to be a visual treat for many.
This is a paradox. We deny the lotus flowers its full life although we esteem it among all other flowers. ‘Do not pluck’ sign boards do not stop people from plucking them.
This tells us about our human instincts. We yield to our impulses. We seek immediate gratification. Many psychologists suggest that delayed gratification is an indication of personal maturity of a person.
The culture of immediate gratification is landing us in serious trouble globally. We tend to land in huge debt because of our buying spree. We take larger mortgage than what we can afford to pay back because we are in a hurry to live in large houses. We buy big cars as a mark of status symbol by borrowing money from the banks. We live beyond our means by overspending on travel, luxury goods, entertainment, etc.
An average urban middle income employee would have to spend more than half of the monthly income to pay the debts accrued. This is most stress producing during times of inflation and monetary devaluation.
We need to advocate delayed gratification as a better option in life. We can have what we desire on a later occasion without the risk of being stress driven, if only we see it as a wiser calling in life!
M.C.Mathew (text and photo)
It is the first time I have noticed the lotus flowers in different colours. The gardener told me that the lotus flowers are commonly seen in white colour.
The first two flowers were photographed on the same day and the third one about three weeks earlier. I found the third flower missing when I went the next day to take a photo, when it would have been in full bloom.
These flowers are fresh, fragile. fragrant and symbolise fullness of colour and texture.
The story of the lotus flower reveals a home truth.
It is so attractive that it hardly stays in the pond for a day two as those passing by would normally pluck it for table decoration. Its life is cut short by those attracted by its elegance. So in a pond of lotus flowers, what we would usually see are the plants and not flowers. The flowers are for the beholder. But the flowers do not last long enough in the pond for it to be a visual treat for many.This is a paradox. We deny the lotus flowers its full life although we esteem it among all other flowers. ‘Do not pluck’ sign boards do not stop people from plucking them.
This tells us about our human instincts. We yield to our impulses. We seek immediate gratification. Many psychologists suggest that delayed gratification is an indication of personal maturity of a person.
The culture of immediate gratification is landing us in serious trouble globally. We tend to land in huge debt because of our buying spree. We take larger mortgage than what we can afford to pay back because we are in a hurry to live in large houses. We buy big cars as a mark of status symbol by borrowing money from the banks. We live beyond our means by overspending on travel, luxury goods, entertainment, etc.
An average urban middle income employee would have to spend more than half of the monthly income to pay the debts accrued. This is most stress producing during times of inflation and monetary devaluation.
We need to advocate delayed gratification as a better option in life. We can have what we desire on a later occasion without the risk of being stress driven, if only we see it as a wiser calling in life!
M.C.Mathew (text and photo)
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