(318) Frost flowers lead the way — there must be something to gain.
(Continuation of the previous text)
Having jumped into Alicante for over a month now, I’ve seen palm trees everywhere. Curious, I asked my boyfriend, “What’s special about these trees? It hasn’t rained since we arrived, yet the palms look so healthy and lush. Don’t they need watering?” He rolled his eyes and replied, “These subtropical plants are heat-resistant. They’ve been around for over eight thousand years. Only an idiot wouldn’t know that!” Indeed, I wasn’t familiar with them. But funnily, once your heart connects with something, it somehow responds.
One day, “Esau” sent a message: “Two painters are planning to do plein-air sketching in the palm grove. Want to join? After that, we’ll picnic at the beach and listen to the waves—how about it?” The moment I heard it, I lit up. My boyfriend muttered, “Plein-air painting is great, but palm trees? They’re like pencils stuck in the ground—what’s there to paint?” Hah, painters always see things differently. I laughed and said, “There must be meaning in why local artists chose the palm grove. Anyway, I’m starting to feel intrigued by them. If Heaven is guiding us, there must be a harvest waiting.”
And so, on the day of the meetup, Esau picked us up after work and drove us to the palm grove. As soon as we arrived at the park, rows and rows of upright palms filled our view. My first impression from the green: tenacious vitality! At the gathering spot, we already saw “Anna” and “George” deeply absorbed in painting. Anna was lying down; she looked up at the canopy of palms and began sketching the fan-shaped leaves—what a unique perspective from a bench! George, meanwhile, was completely focused on two trees, intensely bringing them to life on paper.
My boyfriend couldn’t wait—he squeezed paint onto his palette, his hands already moving while his eyes scanned for the right subject. That’s the joy of outdoor sketching! A blank canvas awaits, and it only needs a stroke and a splash of color to begin. Lines and colors fall into place, naturally composing a vivid expression of life. When heart and hand align—following nature’s way—everything flows. A few lines, a few bends, a touch of yellow, red, and green; the palm trees from sky and earth rush onto the canvas. Marvelous!
Watching these unrelated painters from Spain, Poland, and Canada gather in this place to capture fleeting beauty—so absorbed in their creative moment, flowing with nature’s rhythm—it was so moving that even as a bystander, I felt a burning joy inside. Afraid of disturbing their artistic trance, Esau and I wisely wandered off for a stroll.
Surrounded by the energy of all that green, I suddenly felt inspired—why not film a new dance workout in this beautiful setting? Luckily, with my regular training, I can dance anytime, anywhere. Even luckier, Esau was quick on his feet and helped find the perfect backdrop to begin recording. Just like that, we had a new mission! We threw ourselves wholeheartedly into filming. To be able to share the palm grove with my family back home, so they could dance in sync with the greenery thousands of miles away—everyone energized like the palms, starting each day with full vitality—just imagining it made me beam!
As we danced with delight, the three painters had already captured the palms onto their canvases. Like innocent children, we each rediscovered the joy of reconnecting with Mother Nature. Then, in a flurry of excitement, we all dashed off to the beach for a picnic.
Our dear Spanish family had lovingly prepared exquisite sandwiches and special drinks. Mary brought out tasty appetizers, and thoughtful Anna had found green tea pastries and red bean mochi to surprise us. Strange—how could a homemade picnic taste so incredibly delicious? Ah, that’s the taste of Spanish family love!
After too much laughter and food, Mary pulled me into the waves to jump with her. The sea breeze was cold, but to my surprise, the Mediterranean waters were warm to the heart! Watching the waves roll in, I was lost in thought—this is love! Though the sun had scorched the whole city by day, the sea breeze and waves came together by night in perfect harmony to restore balance. At that moment, I deeply felt how we little humans are constantly and lovingly embraced by Heaven and Earth. A warm current surged within me as I jumped with the waves; the soft sand and bubbly surf tickled my feet and nourished my spirit. With bright smiles, we clapped and took photos together—like one family, bonded with love, witnessed by Heaven and Earth! Under the same sky and upon the same land, we are truly one—we are family.
And then I understood: palm trees symbolize peace and abundance. Suddenly, everything clicked—Frost Flowers led me here, the palm trees made the connection. It was all Heaven’s meticulous design, a beautiful arrangement. And this little one here—me—gratefully receives the immense love from above!
https://youtu.be/ucLZdg9r35c?si=eRcsViNzpxUrm1j5
