I was struck recently by the contrast between this ugly, prickly weed:

and this comparitively beautiful flower that it produces:

It makes me wonder how often I see only the negative in my life- the things that don’t turn out as well as I would like them to; the inevitable challenges that arise in life; the imperfections in myself and especially in others.  Seeing this flower helps me remember that I have a choice- to try to learn from mistakes, to appreciate challenges and to look for the good in everyone.

This weed reminds me that life isn’t easy- it wasn’t meant to be- but if I look closely enough, there is beauty among the thorns.