“When we are judging everything, we are learning nothing.”
~Steve Maraboli
This life lesson of judging is most difficult for me. Let’s face it I’m human, and as humans especially in our society today, we seem to judge everyone and everything. And I think it stems from a human need to be right. Because when we are right, we think we are more in control.
What is judging really? It is forming an opinion or conclusion. And of course whose opinion is right….well mine of course. At least we each think our opinion is the correct one.
And there is nothing wrong with having an opinion. It’s hard not to have opinions….we all do. Our favorite show….I love classic movies and loathe reality TV….best flower combinations or colors to paint a room or favorite veggies to grow and eat. Yes we all have our opinions.
But I think what bothers me the most about judging, is judging the character or worth of living things. Case in point….for me recently it was coleus flowers. From afar they look like nondescript sticks protruding out of the top of the stunning foliage of coleus.
And in my opinion, I thought they detracted from the foliage. I even went so far as to consider cutting them off. Much like some people do with hosta flowers. I am of the opinion, though, that hosta flowers are pretty. And many have amazing fragrance, so I don’t cut them off.
It wasn’t until I saw hummingbirds frequenting coleus flowers that my opinion started to change. I was fascinated watching them stay for a long time at each tiny flower on the stalk. So I decided to investigate. Could I be wrong?
Here’s what a coleus flower looks like when you get a closer look. It is gorgeous.
And if you look at them very carefully, you will also see they have many more visitors than just hummingbirds. Bees and ants love them too for nectar and pollen. So how can I besmirch a flower loved by our precious pollinators? I can’t, and so I only cut a few to bring in for a vase (you can see below).
While I have made tremendous progress not judging nature, and having more respect for the earth and nature over the past 40+ years, I can’t say I have made as much progress with people (especially in our current political climate)…..but that is a story for another post. I will be away from my computer for a couple of weeks so if I don’t respond to your comment, I will eventually.
Have you judged a plant or critter and learned that maybe your opinion was wrong? What epiphanies have you had recently about your judgements and opinions?
Judging A Vase
The coleus, pictured in this post, were all started from seed indoors in late winter. I planted the small starter plants in early June, and thankfully the rabbits did not like them. One of the few plants they did not eat. Some have grown to between 2 and 3 feet tall (see picture at top of the post).
And the vase of the coleus flower stalks has really amazed me…..judge for yourself.
I wanted to take coleus cuttings and pot them up for some winter color. So I thought I would make another vase of these cuttings. I can’t name any of the coleus as they came as a seed mix.
I am joining Cathy@Rambling in the Garden for her wonderful In A Vase on Monday meme. The pictures shared here were created with my iPod Touch camera and two free apps, Pixlr and Prisma.
I am posting poetry, almost weekly on Sundays, on my other blog, Living From Happiness. You can read my latest poem here.
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