I have never considered myself much of a gardener. In fact people who know me will tell you that plants and flowers die pretty quickly in my hands. 

However, in my very small front garden a beautiful plant had grown with small purple flowers. Every day when I pulled into my drive I admired it; such small and delicate flowers yet rich in colour. Every morning as I opened my curtains it stood there proudly in the centre of my small garden. I longed to know what they called this flower that caused me to smile every day.

So, I asked my neighbour, excuse me I said, “Do you know the name of this flower?” He laughed and said, “That’s not a flower, it’s a weed!” I was devastated, and annoyed - how could this weed grow in my garden?

I went straight to the shed, got out the trowel and dug it up; the offending weed was no more.

But now when I drive into my home there is no flower/weed to greet me. When I open my curtains there is no flower/weed to make me smile. No longer can I admire the small, delicate flowers.

Isn’t it funny how knowledge can change everything? Sometimes ignorance really is bliss, a simple act of giving this flower an identity changed its beauty. What did I learn from this? Well beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And what one sees as a simple weed another sees as a beautiful flower.

Maybe it is time we all stop looking for labels for each other, and just enjoy the beauty that each person brings to this world. If we look closely enough past the physical body, the beauty of each Spirit is clear to see, if we can only get past the perceptions we hold.

Less opinions and more seeing the beauty might make this world a nicer place.

Minister Jackie Wright