An unblooming flower / A flower that doesn't bloom

I have a flower, I don't know her name, I've been raising her for more than a year, and she hasn't bloomed yet, but she has extremely strong vitality, unlike ordinary flowers, she doesn't need to be pampered with daily care, watering and sunshine. She's also not as delicate as ordinary flowers, requiring constant nurturing. She never shows the vibrant beauty of common flowers, nor the drought-resistant resilience of a ironwood tree, because ironwood trees always bloom eventually. This flower, from the day I brought her home, she always looks the same – not lush and vibrant, nor drooping and languid. I sometimes even forget her existence, but she still grows steadily and without haste.

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Last autumn, I spent twenty days traveling in Northwest China. Because I had many flowers and plants and trees at home, I was always worried that they would all die of drought if I was away for too long. So, before I left, I specifically put several water-loving fishtail palms with a kind neighbor to take care of them. As a result, when I returned, most of the flowers had withered, and the fishtail palms also seemed to dislike the soil and were sent back to my neighbor. Surprisingly, this unblooming flower, although her leaves were shriveled and wrinkled, hadn't completely died. I quickly watered her, and the next day, she suddenly revived and stood upright. She was alive – it was truly unbelievable, just like the saying goes, 'Even if you don't intend to plant willows, willows will grow and form shade.'

From then on, this unblooming flower became a symbol of strength in my eyes – she can survive under any condition, never complaining, never compromising. In summer, she enjoys the sun; in winter, she doesn't seek a greenhouse; she doesn't belittle herself for not blossoming, nor does she abandon her efforts due to neglect. She revives with a burst of radiance when I add a few drops of leftover tea to her, offering a testament to life's vitality.

Amongst all beings, in this vast world, there are people of all different categories living – there are outstanding elites in politics, business and various industries, but, they are still just a minority. They live at the top of the pyramid. Most ordinary people live at the bottom of the pyramid, working tirelessly to support this vast structure. They work day and night, enduring hardship, and even though they are ordinary, without them, the entire pyramid would collapse due to a weakening foundation.

I often see ordinary street cleaners and maintenance workers in public places. They are not tall, and they cannot make earth-shattering contributions to society, but, these ordinary people, without them, how would our lives be? Our cities would be covered in garbage. There are also countless people who are silent and unknown, quietly and persistently serving in their positions, making their insignificant contributions to society, serving others.

They are like this unblooming flower, serving others in humility and with ordinary labor, complementing the beauty of other flowers, embellishing our lives.

I'm grateful for this unblooming flower, she teaches me how to be a person! To be an ordinary person, to do ordinary things, and to live a simple life. Never consider yourself a pearl, nor a piece of soil! If you consider yourself a pearl, you'll always be afraid of being buried; if you consider yourself soil, you'll be trampled underfoot.

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