Life

There’s a hard surface at the back of my house. That doesn’t stop the plants from growing there, though. There are Northern Marsh Orchids breaking through cracks and grass gradually creeping over the tarmac. It’s being taken over and nature is having her beautiful way with the hard-standing for my car. There are pioneer bumps of moss hunkered down between the chippings of the loose gravel topping. There’s one beautiful small flower living with the smallest amount of nutrients. I kneel down to admire it. There’s a tiny rosette of decorative leaves and flowers in various stages of development. It’s the brightest canary yellow.

It’s reassuring and comforting to see it. The ability of life to continue, to make a life with the meagerest of resources, to endure the harshest conditions, and to triumph, is heartwarming.

The next morning I take another look to get a boost of optimism and reassurance.

I’ve driven the car over it and crushed it.