Last night, I discovered the most beautiful dahlia in my garden. It is a small bloom. The outer petals are a mix of pale cream and pink. Some of the pink petals have soft veins of purple running through them. These are followed by rows of peach petals with light mauve edges and purple tips. Tucked randomly among these are warm butter yellow petals. At the centre of the flower, all the petals hug each other closely in a tight circle. I gently pull apart some of the petals, and I am surprised to discover they are bright yellow at the heart of the flower. As I gently examine this dahlia, I am mesmerized by its intricacies and uniqueness. 

Wouldn’t it be lovely to be held and admired like this? To be gently turned this way and that. To hear squeals of delight as the flecks of gold in your eyes or the heart shaped freckle on your cheek are discovered. To feel the warm touch of a hand discovering the depth of the laugh lines around your eyes or the scar on your chin. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be loved for your intricacies and uniqueness?