When travelling up to the West Coast of South Africa to witness the wild flowers in spring, although these are the main focus, there is so much else to see and experience. In the farmlands, there are crops of Canola purposely planted to harvest and produce oil. These fields of flowers form vivid yellow blocks in the tapestry of the landscape.

A field of Canola seen from the roadside.

These crops happen to flower at the same time as the natural phenomenon of the magical Western Cape wild flowers. The distinction is that the Canola are purposely planted and thus each ‘block’ of colour appears solid as only one kind of plant, the Canola is growing in that area. The soil is purposely kept fertile to ensure the best outcomes and usually the whole field has a similar texture. The fields of wild flowers have a different kind of mottled beauty as a multitude of natural flowers grow together coming into flower in a natural sequence. These beautiful changing tapestries add texture and colour to the landscape. So the process is dynamic, constantly changing. In addition, external factors like the intensity and position of the sun impact on what can be seen and our perception of it.

Wild flowers.

Above I have given the examples of the ‘Big picture’ beauty of a crop orchestrated by man and the magnificence of a natural area of wild flowers. In the second picture we are coming closer to seeing individual plants and detail. However, I find it fascinating to look even more closely. Seeing the flowers in the context of their surroundings adds even greater depth to our appreciation of the miracle of the wild flowers in the Western Cape.

I purposely took this photo in order to show the context in which some flowers grow. It also shows proportion and highlights the treasure we may find when we pay attention. The tiny white flowers in the picture above are hi-lit in the photo below.

So what is my message? Sometimes we need to purposely create a pause in our busy lives and pay attention to the beauty around us. By looking from a distance we’ll gain one impressing. By getting up close, our view will alter. By reflecting on what we see we sometimes see patterns forming. And these can add greater meaning. So what action will you take?

My questions for you are:

• What in your life is planned by man – and how ‘in tune’ are you to the natural flow of nature?
• How often are you viewing life from a distance as you travel life’s journey?
• When are you taking the time to search for the treasures in barren land?
• How often do you get up close and looked carefully at specific items in your life?
• What patterns do you see forming?
• What is the meaning of these?
• How effectively can you plan and implement action on reflection?

For further information on Executive Coaching or Leadership Development please see www.strategy-leadership.com or contact Brenda on brenda@146.66.90.172 or +27 82 4993311.