Roses and Thorns

I recently read a story about a 4-year-old who loved to dress herself. As is often the case with children that age, she often mixed stripes with plaids and tee shirts with ballerina tutus.

Her mother never knew what to expect when she would come downstairs.

One day the little girl came downstairs dressed. She came down the stairs in a pink tutu, a pink and brown plaid blouse, one tennis shoe and one patent leather dress shoe. She had a pink head band, pink scarf, and a pink necklace she'd "borrowed" from her mother's jewelry box.

She greeted her mommy with, "Hi Mommy, I'm a rose."

"You look beautiful, honey, just like a rose."

It was then that the little girl pointed to a toothpick she had sticking out from under her headband.

"See Mommy, here's my thorn."

Most of us adults will chuckle at that story and wonder at a child including a thorn with her rose outfit. But really, doesn't she have the right idea?

When we think of a rose, we generally think of just the blossom. But unless they have been removed, roses have thorns. The thorns make us appreciate the blossoms all the more.

Life is the same. The things that cause us pain or discomfort; challenge us, or prick our consciences -- these are the things that force us to face those issues that end up defining who we are and who we will become.

No one is immune to that prickly part of living. But accepting it will assist us in becoming all we can be. Our full potential often includes a thorn or two. Don't be afraid of the thorns in life -- use them to help you grow and become "beautiful." And as you do, don't forget to let other people know that they too are just as beautiful...thorns and all!