Dignity – Nature’s Way

This morning, a beautiful bouquet of flowers on the breakfast table began to fade, flower petals dropped, leaves turned yellow and wilted. Did I love them any less? No. Did I weep at their passing? No. I paused, acknowledged they were dying and proceeded to offer them support. I refreshed the bouquet, removed wilted leaves and stems, changed the water and re-arranged remaining flowers.

As I did, I reflected on the dignity of nature. Seasons come and go – spring, summer, autumn and winter. I have never witnessed nature express any sorrow, grief or resistance to this perpetual cycle. On the contrary, nature fully accepts each stage and season equally. There is a natural order to things and nature is a powerful source of inspiration.

Human beings on the other hand often fail to make the connection between nature’s way and our own lives. We fail to understand the rhythmic nature and cycle of life. We want to hang on to certain stages and reject others. Many resent getting old, and consider it as less instead of accepting ageing, dying and death as equal to birth, youth and adulthood.

Dignity accepts every stage of life. It sees the whole cycle, not just the summer months or when things are going ‘well’ and we’re in good health. Dignity equally accepts ‘winter’ when we may face ill-health that debilitates, is degenerative or painful. Dignity has the ability to transform so-called winter months into something beautiful: our very acceptance of ill-health and surrender to it, giving us access to much more wisdom, learning and grace. There is dignity in all life and with acceptance we can find joy in death and dying.

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