Don't Be a Bud; Be A Blossom

[Julie Kenward]

How many of us
Go through life
On the cusp of
Being our true selves?

What is it exactly
That holds us back
From showing the world
Our true colors?
<O:p
How sad to wonder
What might have been
If we’d just let go
And blossomed…

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Jules,
Very thought provoking and oh so true and ultimately sad. Maybe it's because of my parents.....and everything they sacrificed/deferred that has pushed me to explore what is me.....either way.....great advice and well written......think you could add something about never too late?........because I believe that is ultimately true.....even if you have been a bud up till now!

[Jackie Schuknecht]

Beautiful picture and verse Julie. I think there is so much pressure to conform these days that nobody really is their true self. But I think you can channel a lot into your photographs which may be the closest you can get to your "self-expression".

[Dave Mills]

As Roman referred to *never too late" so does a famous quote which says"It is never too late to be what you might have been"

[Lance Warley]

This is by far the best job yet of using the photo and the words to complement each other.

Beautifully written and photographed, Jules.

[Julie Kenward]

Lance, do you think it would have been more effective if I had chosen an image with a bud AND a blossom? OR does this work best?

Everyone else, I thank you for your suggestions. Roman - it never IS too late. I should know. I was a bud until just a few years ago - now I'm closing in on 50 and the view is great from here! ;)

[Lance Warley]

I think it works better with just the bud image for these reasons:
- Your words are about a dynamic process, a sense of becoming, of growing into something.
- A photo of the blossom would have made it much more static, as in "I'm done. I'm there. I made it"
- Your whole point, and the reason that I love this, Jules, is that it's not about being a blossom, it's about growing into a blossom.
- Blossoms look good for awhile, then wither, die, and are reborn as buds. Perfectly natural and healthy. Buds that never blossom are stuck and stagnant. Not healthy.

You nailed it.

[Julie Kenward]

Great...thanks for the explanation.

[Jackie Schuknecht]

I think putting in a blossom would have been too obvious and the bud is just perfect for the text.