It Begins with a Question

Gemma-Rose and I gaze upon the flowers.

They’re pretty, bright, colourful, showy. A gorgeous backdrop for a photo. We raise our cameras.

Cameras down. We look around. There’s a Chinese gentleman. He’s standing in a garden bed erecting a parasol.

We ask a question: Why?

The man smiles. His eyes sparkle. Words tumble from his mouth: I’m sheltering the peonies – the imperial flower of China – from the warm Australian sun.

There’s more. We lean closer and listen. The man tells us about his vision: the blending of two cultures within his garden. He shares his passion.

Gemma-Rose and I behold the peonies.

They’re delicate, charming, graceful, elegant. An imposing backdrop for a photo. We raise our cameras.

It begins with a question. It ends with lives enriched by the sharing of a passion.

An unexpected connection on a warm Australian day.

When was the last time your life was enriched by the sharing of a passion?