"A flower falls, even though we love it; and a weed grows, even though we do not love it"

Transient beauty and unwanted hardship are woven together throughout all experience. The falling of a cherished flower draws attention to the impermanence of what we hold dear; even our strongest love cannot prevent change, loss, or the ceaseless transformations of the world. No amount of appreciation or attachment can shield beauty from the inevitability of decay and disappearance. In contrast, the weed, a symbol of what we resist, what we reject, or what we disdain, thrives despite our indifference or even our active efforts to remove it. Life brings forth both what we wish for and what we hope to avoid. Our preferences and aversions, no matter how fervent, do not govern the unfolding of reality.

Embedded in these twin observations is an invitation to reflect on our relationship with attachment and aversion. The blossoming and withering of the beloved flower suggest the importance of cherishing beauty while accepting its transience, letting it go as part of the natural order. The growth of the weed reflects the inevitability of encountering the unwanted. Resisting the presence of weeds, undesirable experiences, difficult people, or challenging emotions, often only highlights their resilience and ubiquity.

Humility arises from recognizing our limited control. Facing the fall of flowers and the persistence of weeds encourages an attitude of acceptance and equanimity. Instead of clinging to pleasures or railing against pain, learning to dwell with both what we love and what we dislike leads to greater freedom. The world does not bend to personal desire; rather, it invites us to awaken to reality as it is, loving the flower while not denying the weed. Through this recognition, a deeper peace is possible: allowing all things their season and place, honoring the fleeting beauty and making peace with what persists beyond our preferences. Permitting both flower and weed, love and dislike, to co-exist, awakens us to the fullness of life.