How to Be a Sunflower Year- Round

How to Be a Sunflower Year-Round

Sunflowers are my favorite flower. Its something about their big happy faces, the way they seem to awkwardly stand out in the midst of other flowers, that really resonate with me. I've always believed I would be a sunflower if I embodied a flower. This is still truth. However I never thought I would choose Sunflowers as my symbolic journey of life and I never knew when the moment would come when I would frolic in Sunflower fields...with my shoes off.

Well it happened last weekend, thanks to a friend I met at the Young Collectors Contemporary.  I kept telling him "This is one of my dreams, I've always wanted to hang out with kindred spirits". Sunflowers guide my intentions to living a fruitful and impactful life. As cliché as it sounds they have taught me that a flower never competes with another flower, it just blooms. 

Here are a few nuggets of wisdom I've gathered from watching them grow and weather storms.

1. Just as flowers grow through dirt, the messy and ugly parts of life are what magnify our beauty.

For some reason we negatively connote dirt with the words "yucky", "filth", "grime", "bad", but dirt is what allows beauty to color our Earth. Plants need it to live, for nourishment, space to grow, and strength to fight towards the light. We too, have our "dirty seasons" when we are covered in the sludge of depression or the filth of low-self esteem and we can't seem to break-through the darkness. However; as flowers grow through dirt, we grow through hurt; through pain, through sadness, through depression, through low self-esteem. We break ground and find ourselves impressed by our strength and determination. We are overjoyed and at peace that we used the dirt as a breakthrough, a testimony that we don't look like what we've been through. We look better because we learned how to take dirt and turn it into beautiful blossoms. 

2. Even on the darkest days, Sunflowers stand tall and find the light.

This one is simple yet so profound. Constantly seek the Light Source. As the Sun gives warmth, radiates light and opportunity for growth, our Light, Jeezy (AKA Jesus, AKA Sweet Baby Jesus, AKA GOAT) will do the same for you. And if Jesus isn't your sustenance, may your Higher Power guide you to your light source, which shines from within.

3. It's ok to stand out and wear big happy smiles.

We've made it through the dirt and arrived at a breakthrough! Shoot, we deserve to smile. We're all at different points in our journey, so not everyone will be in a breakthrough season, they may still be in their "dirty season". That's ok. Never compromise your joy and light, your testimony and blessings because you're scared you're going to stand out. You're scared you're a little "too happy" or "too joyful". Life is difficult and scary, so when the Son has given you a life hack or you've come out of darkness to light, you deserve to rejoice. Plus, other people will know they have space to do the same.