FIVE FOR FLOWER FRIDAY

"All the world's a stage,

And all the men and women merely players, 

They have their exits and entrances,

And one man in his time plays many parts….."

These few lines from the poem “The Seven Ages of Man” written many years ago by William Shakespeare seems quite appropriate this week when two famous celebrities, David Bowie and Alan Rickman, have died.

I know I haven’t managed to photograph 7 daffodils, mainly because I didn’t have 7 vases to put them in - but I’m sure by looking at them - from the tight bud to the dying bloom, you will get my point.

We are all born with potential and we are shaped by our upbringing and circumstances.  We can choose whether we allow what happens to us to define us, especially if it is something bad or unpleasant, or we can choose to rise above it and be a survivor or even a conqueror.

Many others will have died this week who never made celebrity status, at least not to the world, but they will have been a person of importance to their family and friends and loved by them, so their loss will also be keenly felt.  

And then there will be those who have died alone and unloved - and for whom no-one will mourn - perhaps we should think more about them and our part in their death because as the quote from John Donne said a few days ago: "Any man's death diminishes me, Because I am involved in mankind….."

Perhaps we should take note of John Wesley's wise words:

“Do all the good you can. 
By all the means you can. 
In all the ways you can. 
In all the places you can. 
At all the times you can. 
To all the people you can. 
As long as ever you can.”
John Wesley