Lies and empty words can feel like someone took a flower and shook it into the wind. At first, it’s a gentle disintegration… so slight you do not notice the first petals dropping to the ground. As time drags on the flower is starved of water but the budding hope coming from saturated words – always the right words – keep the flower from reaching out to a more nurturing hand. More petals fall. The flower is shaken harder and it’s core begins to be exposed. The flower still holds hope for restoration… To be transformed into what they dream they can be, what the lies make them believe. But, that is not what is meant to be. Instead, the flower’s stem is shaken one last time… So hard it’s stem bends and the remaining petals fall away and the dark nub of their heart is exposed to the harsh reality they have been living in. The holder of the flower walks away, leaving the remains to be stripped away by the elements. The flower is of no use anymore… It has been used for its purpose to the holder. You see, we are all flowers and we all allow ourselves – the fragile parts of us – to be held by people. And, sometimes even in our best effort, we are still crushed and used. The good news is we are not flowers… The crushing, the pressing, the bending and the breaking only serve to fuel our fires and leave us brighter than before.