National Adult Literacy Database

November 15, 1999

Susan has been a contributing member of the Bannerman Writing Group for the past four years. Self-described as being quiet and shy by nature, Suan expresses confidence, creativity, and insight with her writing as she regularly finds new perspectives to write from, and brave new stories and reflections to share. Her writing adventures range from critiquing works of art and recounting tales of woe and humor from her youth, to spinning fine pieces of fiction.

 

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The Flower Behind the Wall

by Susan Alain

A flower was trying to grow and bud all winter but was too sheltered in the snow behind this great big wall. As the time passes the snow begins to melt; all the while this flower is still trying to grow up good and tall.

The ground began to soften beneath the wall and the roots began to stretch. The heavy snow melted from the zigzag crevices, and now the light shines through from way behind the wall. The flower bent and twisted so now its less shut out from captivity. It had used the wall for support to bud, blossom and bloom for everyone to see, thus giving way to all the shadows in its path.

Now that the windy winter cold and heavy slush is going, this flower learned a way to start again getting so much more from life than winter could ever give. Struggling by itself for what it needed to find, it found new trust and energy in what it knew was already there. It found a new direction which was rarely tried before. It took its food and guidance from the melting dirty snow allowing the sun and light to help along the way.

And now it is reaching out from all its uncertainty and work, thus making the struggling winter count, and making yesterday's achievement big. And so now it knows no matter what the weather brings, there will be guidance, help and hope for tomorrow's spring. This flower had a love of self that stayed vibrant and alive no matter what one saw.

It only asked for a harmonious season to keep it going inside. It really wanted to say good-bye to the old tolerant self on a wintry cold and blustery day, and then to say hello to the new ways of compromising and finding the harmony to get through the winter.

This flower didn't believe in winning or losing but just to struggle and live inside and outside this wall. It represented its whole true self showing no masks and still finding the challenge to make it through this winter. It was definitely being open with all its heartbreaks and confronting this harsh situation, giving the other flowers the OK to challenge their own needs a little at a time and somehow make it through this winter and to say goodbye and also to see how far each has come from confronting the experience and working together with the elements (rather than giving up). This can get them through the winter.

It is not really the strength and weakness that flowers have. It is what is done with them and dealing with the problems as they come. Sometimes the weather can be wavy as can be, but these flowers don't expect a lot in return - just seeing the situation for what it is, and also asking for some help from the environment to show off and be themselves.

Good-bye winter.