Beauty among the thorns. — Photo by Pat Bean
“You cannot show people only the petals and not the thorns. It’s not fair to them.” – Bethenny Frankel
Morning Chat
Marianne Moore, an American poet born in 1887 whose work was rife with irony and wit, said: “Thorns are the best part of you.”
My younger self would have argued the point – until the day I noticed that my children were all in love with my mother. She was a person who had lots of thorns.
She was also a kind person, but the thorns, as Marianne proclaimed, were the best part of her.
It took a few more years, however, before I let my own thorns show. And that only happened when I realized that people would still like me, well at least the people who counted, if I were more than a smiling, agreeable twit who never said “No” to anyone’s request.
It seems I had only been pretending to be a goodie-two-shoes – and that probably lost me more friendships than it saved.
I still smile a lot, and try to be kind. But sometimes, as my close friends and telemarketers can testify, I can be a real bitch.
Bean Pat: Celery Bog https://pinolaphoto.com/2019/09/27/the-fall-migration-comes-to-the-celery-bog/ 
A walk among the birds I wish I could take.
Pat Bean is a retired journalist who lives in Tucson with her canine companion, Scamp. She is a wondering-wanderer, avid reader, Lonely Planet Community Pathfinder, Story Circle Network board member, author of Travels with Maggie available on Amazon, enthusiastic birder, and is always searching for life’s silver lining.
Pat Bean's blog 