Unconditional Love and Gratitude

Today I want to share something absolutely extraordinary on my blip journal.  The exquisite pink flower is so rare that very few Australians will ever have the privilege of seeing it in their lifetime.

This is the Pink Flannel Flower.  This afternoon CCN and I drove to the other side of Lithgow to see if we could find the tiny patch of this rare and beautiful flower.  Steve Norris, my camera course teacher had told us about his recent visit to the area to see the flowers.  This particular area had an extremely intense bushfire through it just over a year ago and the genus which had been lying dormant for years has suddenly appeared.  The only other time I have seen this little flower was in 2003, just over a year since the fire went through our part of Shipley Plateau.  On that occasion it appeared out at Hargraves Lookout.  Many of the older locals said they hadn't seen in it 50 years (since the last big fire in the area). 

We found ourselves tiptoeing and whispering to each other as we made our way along the bush track as we were surrounded on either side by the little pink jewels.  It was without a doubt quite an emotional experience and one we will cherish.  

I have included two links which I found really interesting.  The first is from the Australian Bush Essences Website:

This flower is all about heart energy, which is not surprising when you observe the intensity of its pink centre. It allows one to be in a state of gratitude for all aspects of their life and for what they are experiencing around them. Pink Flannel Flower brings about an appreciation of, and helps one take delight and pleasure in, the details and little things in life; to see and be aware of the blessings in every moment. Otherwise life can easily become dull, flat and one’s “joie de vivre” will be missing. 

and the other from a Blog by David Noble.