Last lotus of summer

Procrastination is my hallmark. I heard people talking about a special lotus festival with an exhibition of more than 8,000 pots of lotus at Po Lin Monastery starting from 22 June and saw some beautiful lotus flower photographs taken in the exhibition in some other blogs. Though the exhibition reviews were not particularly positive, I thought it might be an unusual day out. Yet, I had not gone there when it closed on 2 July.  

On 16 September, while having an early breakfast at the MacDonald and flipping the planner on the phone forth and back, I noticed that I had planned to visit that lotus exhibition in August. I was annoyed with myself for the habit of putting things off again and again. Then, I thought, why not today? I might find some other interesting things there.

It was cool, and I took the 8:15 am bus. Six passengers alighted at the terminus outside the monastery just after 8:40 am. Three workers of the monastery hurried to a side entrance, and the two hikers dashed to a trail on the right. As I walked down the passage towards the circular Tei Tan, only 2 black dogs barked reflexively as I passed them from a distance. I always dislike barking dogs. To my surprise, thousands of pots of lotus were still lining up like huge rings around Tei Tan and on its different levels. However, you could hardly find a ‘perfect’ lotus, only a handful of battered flowers with petals dangling in the wind. The prime time of these potted plants had long gone. Their leaves were withering and turning bone-dry. At that moment, I heard myself saying I was sorry; I was too late. I stood there for a few moments, scanning around the ‘deserted’ square, fishing for the little camera in the backpack, and decided to take some pictures of these lotus plants, as if I was to pay my last tribute.

Unexpectedly, I had some amazing time while looking for something special for my camera. As I surveyed the small details of the petals and leaves, there was a kind of beauty beyond words, not the delicacy and exuberance of silky flowers or dewy leaves in dramatic positions under some unnatural sunlight, but the unyielding and uncompromising spirit they displayed till the end of their natural life cycle. Boasting vigor and beauty at prime time is a responsibility; enduring faith and grace till the end is a blessing.

Picking this writing up again from where it stopped on 23 October was challenging. I can’t believe I could finish writing something about the summery flowers on this Christmas Day. Well, at least I don’t have to throw it into the trash box. And I prove that my hallmark never changes. I wish the world had the peace it deserves in the coming year.