April 8, 2014

8 Lessons from a Cactus. ~ Kara Wickwire

0 Boost Score Kara Wickwire (1,510,185)

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I am no farming expert, but the dragon fruit never complained, and with their thorns came much needed wisdom.

My experiences WWOOFing in Hawaii included waterfalls, beekeeping, loving myself and gaining an understanding for the world in which I live.

The dragon fruit is a cactus.

Who knew?

A night blooming Cereus with bold, white flowers the size of dinner plates.

A sight few have seen because the love of a dragon fruit is one of constant patience and tenderness. The bees on a farm, in the depths of the Big Island, fall in love with these flowers just as the tourists adore the flowers’ fruit.

Protect our hearts—but let down our walls.

We all have thorns in some way or another, not to be mean, but to protect ourselves from being harmed or worse, broken-hearted. Like my friend, the dragon fruit, we have thorns but we don’t always need them.

Don’t forget that even cacti leave their heart—the fruit—open to others because that is how it grows.

Let our walls down and help our hearts grow!

Remember that patience is a virtue.

No, seriously. We hear this all the time, and if you are anything like me, sometimes you hear this statement and want to scream. However, nothing could be further from the truth.

The dragon fruit takes so much time and care before it blooms but it’s worth the wait.

Our lives are worth the wait, let’s take our time and enjoy the adventure.

If we can’t stand on our own, it is okay to ask for help.

For those who grow dragon fruit know how much of a pain it can be to keep those “arms” reaching for the sun. I remember walking down the rows and using string to help out the fallen appendages. No “arm” left behind and for us: no human left without help.

Sometimes we need a loving friend to hold us up, with twine or compliments—whichever works better.

A dog is a necessary companion.

The cactus didn’t really teach me this but when we witness the drool of pure joy, dripping off the face of a giant Black Russian Terrier, bounding down the rows of dragon fruit plants, we can’t help but feel a little happier.

Fall in love with bees and they will love us back.

Bees are disappearing and we need them.

We need them to enjoy dragon fruit…oh, and of course every other food or flower we enjoy in this world. So, please take part in loving bees and help find a way to stop Colony Collapse Disorder.

First step is buying raw, unfiltered honey locally.

Apple cider vinegar truly is a cure-all.

Go green and take advice from a fungal affliction on a cactus.

Rather than buying questionable, chemical packed cleaners or promoting pesticides/fungicides on our agriculture try out apple cider vinegar.

A shot a day helps alkalize our body and definitely cures a sickly cactus.

We can’t ignore our needs.

A cactus might be a cactus, but it still needs water.

We as humans have needs but they constantly go ignored because of outside influences.

We shouldn’t feel guilty if we need a break, just take it.

We must love ourselves.

The cactus gets a lot of slack for being a thorny, ugly thing but don’t we all?

We live in a world of critique, but if we love ourselves that is going to keep the negative out of our hearts.

Maybe in the form of a night blooming Cereus or perhaps sitting in our favorite coffee shop reading our favorite book: show ourselves a kindness and love ourselves unconditionally.