I love wisteria.  It’s so delicate and lacy, with cascading flowers that come in little clusters like grapes, not just one flower alone.  But the most intriguing thing to me about wisteria is the fact that it needs something else to lean on.  The plant itself is delicate and cannot provide its own support.  So, the wisteria needs a wall, a terrace, a roof line, or another tree to hold it up in order to display its beauty to the world.

I remember a tall and massive pine tree on the Seattle University campus that I used to pass when I was studying there.  Each spring that tall pine was covered with wisteria blossoms.  It was the most amazingly beautiful sight.  A pine tree that has no natural blossoms, and a wisteria that has no natural height.  But, the two – working together and combining their gifts – offered the world uncommon beauty!

It makes me think about how much we might be able to learn from such a natural occurrence.  No one of us has all things necessary for life.  We need each other to help flesh out our deficits and to accentuate each other’s beauty.  We really need each other to be whole.  Our society and our culture would like to have us think that we are capable and complete on our own – but we are not.

So, in our next interactions, let’s try and remember that we do, indeed, need each other.  Perhaps that will trigger a kinder word or a more compassionate attitude on our part.  Perhaps it will allow us to accept what someone else may be offering us.

And remember, bring your beauty if you want something to lean on.  Offer your strength and height if you want beauty.  Each will be graced by the other.