The Flower sprouted in the spring.

It started as a small stem peaking its head out of the fresh soil. Fresh. Vibrant. Ignorant.

As months passed, The Flower grew tall and wide. The petals emerged in vibrant shades of blue and red, blending effortlessly with one another creating a dusty rose. It’s stem was sturdy; withstanding the warm Summer breeze that lightly shook The Flower. It was admired by all for its beauty and strength. That is, until Summer came to an end.

When Summer said her farewell, Fall stepped in and greeted The Flower with a windstorm. The Flower’s strength had not been tested this harshly, and the poor stem fought for weeks to keep The Flower upright. As months passed, The Flower’s stem grew stronger. It got used to the constant pressure of the relentless wind, and was now able to hold the petals up without issue.

That is, until Fall came to an end.

When Fall said her farewell, Winter stepped in and greeted The Flower with a thunderstorm. The Flower’s strength had not been tested this harshly, and the poor petals fought for weeks to stay attached to the stem, fighting the pounding rain weighing them to the muddy soil. As months passed, The Flower’s petals grew wider, able to withstand the torrential downpour. It got used to the constant weight of the water holding it down, just as the stem got used to the pressure of the relentless wind.

That is, until Winter came to an end.

When Winter said her farewell, Spring stepped in and greeted The Flower with sunshine. The Flower relaxed, finally able to enjoy the warm, shining sun.

The Flower was picked.

Just like that, all that work had been for nothing. The strength gained had been a waste. The reward of sunlight had been for nothing…

But The Flower was destroyed long ago. Summer did not prepare The Flower for the following seasons in any way, weakening it. The winds knocked it down in Fall. The rain withered away the petals in the Winter. All that was left of The Flower in the Spring was the hope of recovery. The blind idea of Strength. Maturity. Growth.

She existed. Fresh. Vibrant. Wise.

A Tiger Lily sprouted in the Spring.