Sakura in Blue /
ブルーな桜
In Spring 2020 it was surreal to see the sakura trees blooming magnificently while the pandemic shut down the human world. Nature grounded me with steady presence. These trees were blooming quietly and confidently in the absence of hanami (flower viewing) events or crowds. Oh, how freeing it must be to just be your beautiful self, with no need to perform for others.
During the months of school closure + e-learning + social distancing, it seemed fitting to paint the sakura with blue pigment: the most expensive mineral (Lapis).
I also included a waterlily, because it’s good to give ourselves ‘lily pads’ - small wins, small celebrations, something to look forward to each day - in order to keep moving forward in the water of uncertainty.
Through Instagram giveaway, I mailed them away in order to encourage people to…
Touch a tree if you’re depleted of hope.
Take a nature walk if you’re tired of human media.
Go outside to SEE & FEEL the wind. (It does wonder for your soul!)
Behold the Spring blooms to remember that Christ is in control.
Breathe deeply in the spaces that need confronting & healing.
Dwell in the liminality of Easter Saturday and practice grief.
Remember that renewal comes after a long dark winter.
Look for the plants that are pointing UPWARD if you feel tossed around left & right by news/media. (Nature is steady!)
By the way, have you looked closely at the back of the cherry blossoms? They look like maroon-colored bamboo shoots. They store energy during the cold winter so that they can burst open when the Spring comes. Young buds are bright colored and closed. Fully bloomed flowers are delicate and confident. Aren’t they the great metaphor for how we grow in hard seasons? I often feel that our best days exist because of the painful days. Our happy-pink days are held together by the darker colored days.