Wednesday, January 11, 2012

What does it take to blossom? (Part 2)

The movement of the mind asks the questions that provoke thought.  It is no more our right to think than it is our duty to.  In this (7) part series on blossoming we want to look at how we can change our perceptions to induce positive action most effectively.


Learning from the environment around us serves a two part purpose.  The first being our ability to be present in life and the moment, letting each instant teach us with each passing minute.  The second, is allowing humility to reside in us to learn from lesser things and experiences to further our understanding.




















In this second part of blossoming we will discuss the scent of a blossom and how this can pertain to us and how we think of ourselves.  As in the first part flowering this too will speak to points that deal with one of the most simplest and yet most beautiful of creations, the flower.


The scent of a flower can tell us a lot about it, just as our scent (or personality) can tell others a lot about us.  Let's look at how a flowers scent defines it.  When we think of a rose we think of the vibrant hues and almost divine symmetry of its curves and folds.  Yet it's scent draws us even more and keeps us even longer.  It is the scent of a rose that makes it approachable even over it's thorny stems.  Jasmine with its exotic aroma and bright appearance, it too draws us near and keeps us in its presence.  The scent of a flower can overcome it's appearance, and its size.


Our personality in the same manner can do similar things.  We can attract other towards us and we can also cover imperfections, brought on by imperfections themselves.  Our personality is the gateway to our being, though some would argue, our personality can be affected by our experiences.  What we think can affect (either positively or negatively) what our personalities will become.  This is why it is important for us to comprehend and continue striving to understand before opinions are ever formed.


If our outer appearance would bring someone to us, our personality will keep them close.  Having said that the opposite must be true, our personality can repel those away.  Just as a foul stench could turn away even the most pleasant of odors, so too can a poor personality do the same.  Cultivating such an attractive personality takes humility, courage and effort on our part.  We cannot do any task, unless we think first of our ability to accomplish it.  Thus, change is first thought out, planned, then implemented.  


The three aspects of our personality that this part will focus on are kindness, understanding and positivity.  The first being kindness, this rare trait is often shown on occasion, but not practiced.  Being kind is a resolve not an action.  Who are we when we are tried or pressed lends to our personality at our moments of weakness.  Do we resolve to be kind come what may?  Or do we choose to be kind when circumstances feed such an action?  Our personality should be kind consistently, this takes patience and effort, but is not impossible.


Understanding is essential to all these qualities.  Our personality needs to reflect understanding, this allows us to accept others and learn more.  "To agree or disagree is human decision, but to understand is true wisdom", anyone can agree with a view or point, or disagree for that matter, but rarely do we look to understand.  This takes effort and wisdom to do so.  If we strive to understand, whether or not we agree or disagree becomes irrelevant.  Do our views shun understanding, or do we look to learn, knowing that we can understand a contrasting point and not have to agree with it.


Lastly, positivity makes for the cautiousness of our personality.  A Chinese proverb lends to a series of events that happened to a old man and his response was both positive and cautious.  This is how our personality should be, we ourselves should be positive. All circumstances are just that; circumstances, just as there is no good or bad luck.  We define them as good or bad based on our limited understanding of what is to come.  Patients alone isn't enough, positive patients is sufficient.


Can our scent, our personality define us, can we be noticed from a far by our personality, just as an enchanting smell from far away can find us?  If so, what scent do we emit?  What does it cause those smelling to do or say?  Redefining ourselves takes efforts, our personalities should aid in creating a better person.  Let us not be comfortable yet, with who we are until who we are is complete.