Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished - Lao Tzu

The simple rose is quite slow to bloom, but it is fully open at each step of its blossoming. The human heart is like the rose, allow yourself to see the beauty in being as open as it can be at each stage. Instead of comparing it to some imagined end stop and appreciate yourself along the way.

We do ourselves a great disservice by judging where we are in comparison to some preconceived idea we have for our lives. This is one of the downfalls of aspiring to achieve our goals because the state of development we are always in is never quite enough, no matter how close we are.

We need to visualize ourselves as this rose. The flower would tear if it were to push itself to open faster. We continually push ourselves to unfold faster or more deeply than is natural, often causing damage that no one else can see. When we push ourselves to this tearing point we can actually impede our spiritual growth.

Wherever we are in our path - no matter how flawed or incomplete - is a blossoming unto itself.

Nature takes time, and many of our problems stem from impatience.

"Adopt the pace of nature, her secret is patience" - Ralph Waldo Emerson