FIRMLY PLANTED ◽ ENCOURAGEMENT
Take It As a Compliment
by Dina Cavazos
Unique, original, trend-setter, cutting edge, one-of-a-kind. These words appeal to me. They evoke an image of someone who is their own person, a free-thinking creative, someone who moves to the sound of a “different drummer.” I would like to be this kind of person, but there are many other traits to be desired as well.
I’m not sure there’s actually anyone who is uniquely unique, or any idea that originates in one mind. There have been occasions when I’ve had an idea and before I can act on it, I see it somewhere. One exception (there could be more) is words. I’ve never seen anyone write the same poem, string words into the exact same quote, write the same story. Although the idea may be the same, the way it’s expressed is solitarily unique. Art and gardens. These too are unique to the creator.
I never tire of looking at gardens. There are so many beautiful ones on YouTube; but I have to be honest…how can they possibly be so clean and perfect? The paths are neat with no debris. The plants are bursting with blooms in perfect health; every space is filled with a thriving specimen. It’s a little “sus” as my grandson says. I really don’t want to be a copy-cat, but I have stolen a few ideas. (They too were probably stolen from somewhere don’t-ya-think?) In my town, there are certain gardens I like to drive by and see how they look during the year. A couple years ago, I saw this ingenious pairing of Sunshine Ligustrum and Salvia Greggi. The bright dots of pink contrasted beautifully with the bright yellow. Guess what I planted in my front yard?
You bet. It doesn’t look quite the same though…the sun doesn’t hit in quite the same way, and I think I crowded them too close together so the Greggi doesn’t bloom enough. She also had a tall red Knock-Out Rose in the center as a focal point, which I don’t. So, I just copied a little, not all the way.
Garden art. I try not to over-do. Right now, I’m experimenting with glass in the garden, making small glass sculptures, sort of. It’s not a unique idea—just look on Pinterest. I’m creating my own cheapskate version of art glass pieces. (Don’t copy me!) Isn’t it irritating when someone copies your idea even though you may have “borrowed” it from someone else?
Actually, copying is a compliment. Copying someone is to say I admire you, I like your idea, your style, the expression of yourself. I have two daughters who are all the words I named above. It just seems like whatever they choose is desirable. Sometimes I copy them (not usually in food—sushi and I don’t get along), but in small ways.
Unique originality is about me. Other traits to be desired are about you. Kindness, generosity, graciousness…these traits reflect how I treat you, whether you copy me or not. And if you do, I shouldn’t mind. Jesus is the best model for that, and inner transformation can’t be copied. It’s a work of God in the willing heart.
Copy that.