Within the Nest of Thorns

Yesterday, in penning my blog about the flowers on a cactus, the thought struck me that flowers are a far different beast than humans.  Yes, there is that whole genetic thing.  I understand that.  Some plants—the Venus flytrap for example—are murderous carnivores.  That certainly brings them a little nearer to us.  What really occurred to me, though, was the fact that flowers are far better programmed to survive.

In spite of growing within a nest of thorns, the cactus flowers develop into full bloom without injuring themselves on the spines that stand like a vice of knives all around them.  I have a couple of friends who cannot navigate through their own house without hurting themselves.

Upright flowers always manage to grow upright.  Horizontal flowers grow horizontally, without thought of changing direction.  Flowers are consistent in place and time.

We would be lucky to have a bit more of that on occasion.

--Mitchell Hegman