“There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” ~Anais Nin

The hibiscus tree was always prolific with producing buds; vibrant, healthy buds. Yet over and over again, the buds refused to open. They stayed tightly closed until eventually they would shrivel and fall from the tree, never opening. This disappointed the tree greatly, the beauty of itself never reaching fruition.

Then one day the tree spoke to one of it’s buds.

“Bud, why do you stay so tight within yourself, never allowing yourself to blossom, never sharing your beauty?”

“I’m comfortable this way, safe. Besides, I’m just a bud, why would I want to change?”

“You have much beauty to offer.”

“But I can’t be sure of that. Change is scary. What if I don’t like it?”

“Trust and believe in who you are.”

The bud thought long and hard for days, unaware that a gentle change was already taking place. A releasing of fear mixed with a little curiosity of what change would feel like. An opening. It happened during the night, without notice. The bud blossomed. Reaching it’s potential, sharing it’s beauty.