“In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It Goes On.”
Robert Frost
Showing posts with label cooperation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cooperation. Show all posts

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Sweet Autumn Clematis . . . Light and Shadow

The Sweet Autumn Clematis is one of my favorite blooming vines.  Just as the leaves on the trees and shrubs start to show their glowing colors, this gorgeous bloomer steals the show.  Its profuse cloud of heavenly white blossoms and intense perfume attracts the bees for one last meal of nectar before the cold temperatures set in.  I started thinking about how different this clematis is from many of my other large flowering clematis vines.


Well, then one thing led to another --- and if you read this, you will probably find a completely different subject, than what you thought this would be about.



A close up view reveals that this clematis has only four petals and some lovely long stamens in the center of the flower. When you group hundreds of them together they put on a very united and significant display. In the photo above, I noticed how well the dark background set off the white flowers. 

For various reasons, some unknown to us, plants devise different ways to attract pollinators to ensure that their species continue.  To make sure the flowers got proper attention, the plant also came up with a tantalizing fragrance that no one can ignore. This beautiful plant has determined that it is in its best interests to have many small flowers instead of a few large ones. Some might say it has compromised for the benefit of the whole plant and its success.

Plants in their DNA somehow understand the benefits of cooperation, compromise and diversity.  If only more humans understood the same---- (sigh) ---- what a perfect world it would be.





I think it is sometimes the same with individuals. If we are one person standing alone, we may seem weak and inconsequential, but together through cooperation and yes, even compromise, we can be strong and have immense power.

Cooperation and compromise seem to be dirty words in our country these days. This is something I just find hard to understand.

I looked up the word compromise and here is what it says:
1. agreement: a settlement of a dispute in which two or more sides agree to accept less than they originally wanted
2. something accepted rather than wanted: something that somebody accepts because what was wanted is unattainable
3. potential danger or disgrace: exposure to danger or disgrace 

Why does it seem that most of us jump to the third definition before considering the other two? Always looking for the worst scenario or the darkest meaning does not seem to be very productive. However, we always must have the dark with the light.  That is simply how things are. There are lessons to be learned from this and they are not that complicated.  If a plant can somehow comprehend these things, why can't we?



In art, as in life, there are shadows and light.  As in the photo above, if we did not have the contrast of the dark, the flowers would not stand out, but would fade into the background. With life I think the same holds true, if we never had dark moments, all the light moments might seem to fade into the background.



I guess what I am trying to say, is do not despair when life seems dark and gloomy, but rejoice and bask in the light and joyful moments we also receive. The dark makes the light seem brighter.  The reverse also holds true, sometimes until the glaring light of day is shown on something, we don't realize how really dark and disturbing it is.




So what am I saying and are you completely confused?  I am simply setting out some ideas for you to think about.  Things in life are not just black and white or dark and light, they are filled with shadows and variations that make up the whole.  Without the light and the shadow, there is no way to see the whole picture clearly.


We must consider the whole of the people, as the Sweet Autumn Clematis has considered the whole of itself.  What is best for one of us, should also be the best for all of us. We need to try and accept the shadows with the light.