Lotus Moment: A Rose Is A Rose Is A Rose

Why This Is Awesome: It's been a bit grueling of late, dear readers. But I'm sure most of you have experienced some sort of frustration, fatigue or general "What does it all mean?" from time to time. And if you haven't, bless your heart. I hope your life stays that way.

But if you have, you can probably understand why sometimes we feel compelled to stop, be still and just appreciate the beauty that can spring up and survive in even the most inhospitable of environments. That's what I thought when I saw this rose in a mini-garden planter outside a beautiful coffeehouse here in Newark called the Blueprint Cafe and Lounge.

Granted, the flowers were planted intentionally, but given how the cafe sits alongside a very busy, heavily trafficked major artery in a neighborhood known as the Ironbound (take a moment to appreciate that imagery), it's still a shock to see such a remarkable bloom surrounded by a world of concrete, car fumes and detachment. Yet, there it is. In all its glory.

If that isn't a great metaphor for life today, tomorrow and beyond, I don't know what is. A rose is a rose is a rose indeed.