Heroes Not Zombies

I never cease to be amazed by the transition from a bud to a flower. That tight knot of petals unfurling by growing and opening up at the same time is a wonder to behold.

I think it’s the opening up aspect which appeals to me so much. There’s a sense of revelation there. I see the tight little bud as a container of a secret, and the unfolding of the petals as a revelation.

In French there’s a wonderful word – épanouissement – which translates as blossoming, growing, maturing – used to describe this stage of a plant’s life, but also used to describe a feature of human personal growth and development.

The idea of an unfolding of potential, of growing into one’s own uniqueness, of flourishing and blossoming, delights me.

There is so much beauty and wonder in this “normal” phenomenon. I’d include this idea of épanouissement in my concept of health now.

Health is much more than the absence of disease. It’s a state of flourishing which involves revelation, opening up to the world and to others, and the expression of uniqueness.

It’s beautiful.