Downy Jasmine

Kunda as its called in marathi, my mother tongue, has been one of my most favorite plants since many years. More so because the sapling is from my grandmom’s tree. It flowered immensely in her garden and did the same and grew up to be a beautiful flowering tree in my factory garden as well. When I moved to my new apartment, I made one more sapling for my balcony and waited for the plant to grow and flower.

My mornings are generally spent here with my cup of tea. As I was sitting by the fragrant flower plant today, I was experiencing bliss as ever. Just then I was surprised to notice that all the flowers do not have same number of petals! Some with 9 petals looked slightly bigger than the one with just 6. And the one with 7 stood out differently standing tall because of the base that supported it!

The nature continues to amuse me, teach me so gently! We speak of different flowers and different colours and shapes and sizes of different plants. But here I am appreciating the beauty of difference in flowers of the same plant!! Aren’t we siblings just the same? it’s the same soil, same amount of watering, same genes and yet each one receives what’s provided differently to manifest differently in his/her own way…. Then why that is not beautiful to us many a times? What is that need for perfection that we search in the human species? What is that need of performance that we search in our children?

Only on minute examination I noticed that each had different number of petals. They looked so beautiful together. Or is it in fact the differences that brought beauty to the cluster? I feel it is.

Can we embrace that beauty and difference in the clusters and groups around us. And also lone ones that add to bring out beauty and value of the clusters!

To the beautiful unique you!