Dear Friends,

Greeting from Los Angeles where I am here on jq loves u business. Yesterday on my way to downtown LA, I stopped at my old stomping grounds in Echo Park to visit the Lotus flowers. I felt like I was visiting old friends. I took a few pictures of them to show you what they look like this time of year.

The most typical photograph of a Lotus flower is when it is in full bloom. The pod in the center of the flower is yellow and it has pinholes where the flower’s nectar is extracted by dragonflies, wasps and other flower-loving insects. After fully blooming, the flowers slowly drop its petals and the yellow pod stands alone. Over time, it turns from yellow to green then fades to brown.

While the pod’s color changes, the pinholes that once held its nectar start to open. They expand enough for the seeds to fall through the drooping pod as it turns towards the earth to drops its seeds. The seeds fall to the bottom of the lake’s surface for next year’s blossoms.

Sitting in front of the lake admiring these amazing Lotus flowers even after they have expired, I am in awe with Mother Nature. The lotus retreats into the darkness and faces the earth. It releases the rest of its seeds into the water. I never look forward to the transition we have to go through when we adjust to the change of time each year, but the lotus cycle has inspired me to plant new seeds in the dark for next year’s blossoms.

Just remember: “No mud, no Lotus.” –Thich Nhat Hanh

xo
jq