Bloom

“Silently a flower blooms,

In silence it falls away;

Yet here now, at this moment, at this place,

The world of the flower, the whole of the world is blooming.

This is the talk of the flower, the truth of the blossom:

The glory of eternal life is fully shining here.”

-Zenkei Shibayama

Intentionally, or not, I write a lot of music about life and death – the path we all must, should, and want to take.

The flower is a beautiful, perfect example of this journey.  It is a single-minded thing.  It exists to make the world a better place for the next generation, while doing as little harm as possible (allergies aside, of course.)

When the time comes, the beauty of the flower fades.  It steps aside for the next bloom.  The petals, the embodiment of its perfection, fall to the ground to shield the tiny seedlings from the cold of winter.

This final gesture of protection to the next generation is all we can hope to be in our lives.  Live, love – love as much as you possibly can, as powerfully as you possibly can – and leave.

Recording: Bloom – Illinois State University

Score: Bloom – Full Score