YOUR NATURE

I have a lemon tree in my backyard.

It has thorns.

I had no idea they had thorns until we started growing lemons.

I then did a deep dive about plant genetics, it was incredible. 

It’s just a natural defense mechanism.

It’s not personal when it pokes me or you.

It is in its nature to protect its growth, its fruit, its blossoming.

Your nature is no different.

Your new growth doesn’t just need light, water, and roomy soil.

It may also need thorns.

Trust your thorns; you are not in conflict with yourself because you want to protect what is most valuable to you.

The same day I noticed the thorns I got into a little squabble with my son lol.

I don’t really remember what it was about, but at the end of it I told him that I saw his new growth just like I see the new lemons coming up on our tree. 

I apologized for not creating space for the growth to happen, and he didn’t need to feel bad if I reached my hand in and got poked by his natural defenses.

His desire for independence is a new type of growth for him, a natural one, one we can discuss without poking each other.

I believe in our ability to have desires, I believe in our ability to know how to protect what we love, to nurture it.

I diverge some from Stoicism and Buddhism on desire, and land more on a Hindu scale. Most conflict is just economics. 

We tend to think of defense mechanisms as something negative, as if that response is from a place we don’t understand.

“Sorry I got defensive.”

We have all heard or said that phrase at some point.

As long as you read my books, or blogs, we don’t have to say or do that here.

I believe in our ability to bite, sting, pinch, and protect our natural blossoming, our natural flavors coming to the surface.

Shit, we can even share stories of people and ideas we protected our fruit from if you would like. Most of you haven’t met CEO Josh.

You are not in conflict with yourself because you notice yourself, because you notice new things about yourself, and that you may have new desires or questions. 

Because unlike a potted plant that can’t be moved, our growth walks around with us.

Let your blossoming lead you.

However, let’s not get overly focused on the thorns.

What good is a thorn if it has nothing to protect?