Perseverance

“Courage and perseverance have a magical talisman, before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish into air.” ~ John Quincy Adams

Fear? No! Perseverance!

Star Magnolia

“Of the many interesting facts about the magnolia flower, the most striking one is that it is a very old flower. In fact, there are fossils dating back 20 million years that show that the flower has been gracing Earth since the very beginning of time, so to say. The magnolia is also a very tough, hard flower, unlike other delicate flowers. This is owing to the fact that it has had to adapt to changing climactic and geological conditions in order to survive, and it is precisely due to this feature that the flower represents endurance, eternity, and long life.” _ Buzzle.

The Magnolia means Endurance or Perseverance.

“Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear — not absence of fear.” – Mark Twain

Why do I link endurance and perseverance to courage and fear?  Because, I went to a presentation by Beth Fitzgerald Allen of DIY Hip Chicks today.  She is an inspiration and her message of “flushing” fear was so motivating.  The history and meaning of the Magnolia reminded me of Beth’s presentation.  Beth stated ” Courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability to move forward any way” – reminding me of Mark Twain (above).

  We all must endure, persevere, and push forward despite of our fears if we are going to accomplish our goals and achieve success and joy.

Nobility

“Virtue is the truest nobility.” – Miguel de Cervantes

Nobility I

Nobility

In the Victorian language of flowers the magnolia represents nobility.

And, as an aside, Miguel de Cervantes was the author of “Don Quixote“.