Safety

I was sitting with one of my sixth graders, Ioca, on Friday. We were talking about the possibility of unicorns existing in this world. She was pretty confident they were on the highest mountains of Jamaica, and although I have never been graced with a unicorns presence, I certainly do not have evidence of their non existence.

She pointed to a small leaf. It was nestled within various other leaves in the "bush", as Jamaicans like to call it. As she extended her finger to touch the tiny plant, it clasped shut, only to reopen seconds later. Even the most slightest touch caused the leaf to quickly deny the world and retreat to its own safety, into its own self. Like a safety mechanism, right? I had never seen a plant that responded like this to a persons touch. But that is what it is, after all. A safety mechanism.

Isn't that what many of us do...with the slightest suspicion of closeness from a stranger, we close right up, claiming we are private people.

It's none of their business, right?

Or is it just a safety mechanism?

But what about the beauty that lies within?

I mean who is to say Ioca is wrong...Maybe unicorns are real after all...