Sunday, June 26, 2011

The Trouble With Thistle...

I have to admit purple isn't exactly one of my favorite colors, but I can't resist the sight Thistle in full bloom. It's the national plant of Scotland.  Legend has it that men carried it with them when they went into battle to remind them of their country and family left behind.

It grows tall and stately, but it's stem is covered with huge thorns.  Butterflies and bees enjoy landing on the blossom to sip nectar.  I don't know anyone who grows them in a flowerbed purposefully.  They grow wild along the roads and highways.  They make for a beautiful sight!

One day last spring I noticed a Thistle plant was growing up through the hedges in the front of my house.  I couldn't have been happier.  So I decided to let it grow, I was very careful when I trimmed so I didn't disturb the plant.  I watched and waited as it grew taller and taller.  It was almost six feet tall and full of blooms ready to burst any day.  I couldn't wait, everyday I went out with my camera checking to see if the flowers had opened.  And then it happened, so many of the flowers opened I couldn't wait to return home from running errands to take the perfect picture.  While at the store the weather turned, a giant thunderstorm moved in, bringing severe gusting winds along with it.  It was still pouring when I arrived home.  I waited patiently for the storm to pass, it lasted several hours.  When the storm moved out I grabbed my camera and headed out to the porch to get the shot I waited so long for.  It was not to be, the blooms had been blown from there stems, the seeds being spread by the wind!
My front and back yards are now full of fledgling Thistle plants.  There's even one growing at the site of the first plant.  I will watch that one grow in hopes of capturing it in all it's splendor, maybe the weather will be on my side this year!

Sometimes I think living life with MG is like being a Thistle plant.  We try to grow tall and bloom for all to enjoy, but our thorns (Myasthenia Gravis) get in the way.  We are strong, yet vulnerable to the wind and rain.  We are planted firmly, our roots aren't easily destroyed.  We live with the hopes of blooming another year in spite of whatever adversity comes our way, that's life with Myasthenia Gravis...


June is Myasthenia Gravis
Awareness Month
to learn more visit:

5 comments:

  1. Well said my friend! And I still love you even though you don't like PURPLE! OH my gosh! My FAVE!!!
    Awesome post though, really.
    Love ya!

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  2. Love the imagery! Sending you some of my "patented" giant-sized (but gentle) "flaky" hugs tonight
    Suzi

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  3. oh.. so nice post.)
    Love your blog.))

    I now spend a survey of bloggers with such questions.
    1. Why did you create a blog?
    2. For whom you taking him? Want to be popular?
    3. How long will it keep going?

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  4. I'm glad you like thistles. I was raised in a place where they can take over a pasture quickly, so we would go out on a regular basis to dig them up.
    Eeyore love thistles and I love Eeyore!

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  5. You made a beautiful analogy of a thistle to MG. Love the pic too!

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