Dear Self

Dear Self,

This time last year, the cherry blossoms were already long gone. The wind was warm and shorts weren’t a rare occurrence. Today, March 27th, the cherry blossoms are in full bloom. Late by a month, you have said. But by whose standards? The trees decide when they’re ready, and they will never apologize for us subjecting them to our temporalities. Their buds cannot be equated to a “day” of a “month.”

For which schedule do the cherry blossoms follow but their own? They bow not to the unfathomable propriety of the Julian calendar. And they are patient—not only for the day when the strength of the sun’s caresses dispel the cold, but also for the moment when their loving pollinators are also awake.

Like the cherry blossoms, dearest self, remember that nature never hurries. Just because it’s February doesn’t mean you have to open yourself to the world. Sometimes, it has to be a month “late.” Other times, there is no timeline at all. Follow the sun, dear self. Gather the strength and warmth that you need to demonstrate your true beauty, and don’t feel compelled to do anything until then. It is okay to retreat to the safety of your calyxes. However, remember that your destiny is and always has been to bloom. You were meant to inspire, to command attention, to shower the world with your loveliness—all by just being yourself.

And with giving of yourself to the world, you attract others to do the same: wanderers, observers, seekers, artists, community members, those who see beauty and love in all. Together, dear self, we will simply be. No rush.