The Queen of the Night

Last week I was invited over to a little celebration of the blooming of a flower. Yes.. that's right. It's a special occasion, as this flower only blooms a few times each year and only at night. It is the Nightblooming Cereus, also called the Queen of the Night. It is also known as the Lunar Flower or Moon Flower. I don't know if it usually times its opening to around the full moon... but it was quite full that night and we could also hear a large pack of coyotes howling in the distance - something I've never heard before. The whole thing was quite a magical experience.

The flower has a beautiful scent and I think you will agree that the flower is quite stunning. Even though it just lasts for a night I think this can serve to remind us that everything fades away so quickly. Our lives are like a blink in the cosmic scheme of things... but that doesn't make them any less beautiful or important. We need to appreciate the beauty that is in front of us at every moment and bloom our brightest in the brief span of life that is given to us.