Oubaitori (桜梅桃李)
I am captivated by ancient wisdoms and this has to be one of my favourites. Although it isn’t spring in the Northern Hemisphere, I think that we can all learn something from the Japanese idiom, Oubaitori, for ourselves and for our children.
Oubaitori comes from the kanji for these four trees that bloom in spring: ou 桜 (cherry blossom), bai 梅 (plum blossom), tou 桃 (peach blossom), and ri 李 (apricot blossom). They bloom alongside each other, but all at different times and in different ways, each one bringing something unique to the landscape.
Like the flowers of these trees, Oubaitori epitomises the idea that people also grow and develop in their own time and in their own individual way. We are all different. We have different skills and passions. We follow different paths. We have different goals.
And we should be proud of what makes us unique. Oubaitori celebrates the uniqueness of each one of us; valuing each individual and their contribution to life’s great tapestry.
Just as nature’s diverse trees come together to produce magnificent landscapes, Oubaitori encourages us to celebrate our differences and embrace diversity, fostering unity and understanding among individuals and communities.
There is no need to rush or to compare.
Rather let us embrace our own personal journey, knowing that we will blossom in our time.
“A flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it. It just blooms.”
– Zen Shin
#oubaitori
#diversity
#mentalhealth
Photo by Ryan Yao on Unsplash