Physically Distanced but Spiritually Connected
Briar Rose

What was underneath all those thistles?

Dear Mayfield,
On Sunday I opened the reflection with a thistle story from my morning walks. Above is a picture of several roses on the small bush of red roses that I mentioned then.  Since the rose bush is located not far from where Briar Street ends at Lincoln Park, I refer to any of the roses on the bush as Briar Rose.

You may remember that in the Brothers Grimm version of “Sleeping Beauty,” the princess is called Briar Rose. At the christening party for the baby princess, twelve fairies are invited; the thirteenth fairy is overlooked. Fairy #13 does manage to show up though with a gift of death, saying that before the princess turns sixteen she will die after pricking her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel. One of the twelve invited fairies moderates this gift and says the girl will only fall into a deep sleep following the spindle prick until a prince kisses her awake.  In the meantime her parents go to great lengths to protect her including the attempt to destroy all spinning wheels in the realm. They manage to get every spinning wheel except one. It only took that one to move the whole plot into deep sleep.

My Briar Rose was protected from potential external harm as long as it was hidden away in the forest of thistles that towered above it. The rose bush was buried out of sight beneath layers of prickly leaves.  It was absent from our attention. At the same time, its growth through access to sunshine and moisture, was somewhat choked by its overpowering neighbors until the great day of weeding when the thistles were removed.

It is a natural human tendency to devote our effort and energy to protecting ourselves and others, to limiting vulnerability and exposure to loss. But it’s a combination of protection and risk that result in the ripening of our growth. Excessive protection or excessive risk get in the way. In this time of pandemic, we know numerous feelings of being out of control, powerless, insufficiently protected, and fearful. When that is the total of what we feel or experience, the possible gift or gifts of this time may be forgotten, refused, or dismissed as not worth it.  Like Briar Rose’s parents, we can’t hide ourselves or others forever from what might bring harm, threat, danger, or some form of death. The necessary balance of protection and risk is well illustrated right now. There are wise measures we can engage in for our sakes and for the sakes of those around us.  And there is a combination of Covid-19, economic disruptions, and societal questions and actions around injustice and race that may well reorder our lives.  In this moment and in all moments, even a slender thread of growth can be imagined. Let us remember that. And when others can’t, let us remember it for them too. And when we can’t, may we be comforted because others are remembering such growth for us.
Peace, Martha