peace&niche

On the ride home from a work event, I nudged my co-worker awake and said, “You know what’s beautiful? Those flowering shrubs growing under the freeway.” She blinked, looked out the window, and replied, “Yeah… we’re always too caught up in life to notice stuff like that.”

It stuck with me. The fact that those plants were blooming in such a stark, overlooked place. Not for anyone’s praise. Not in some manicured garden. Just quietly thriving in the shadows of concrete and cars.

I’ve been thinking about that lately—what it means to exist like that. To grow into yourself without waiting for the right conditions or the perfect moment. To not constantly bend in response to the noise of others or the pressure of your environment.

It’s not easy. Most of us live shoulder to shoulder with people, routines, expectations. We’re not in a vacuum—we’re in meetings, on buses, standing in line at coffee shops. But maybe the starting point is learning to know yourself deeply. Not just your preferences, but your limits. Your values. What you’ll allow in, and what you won’t.

Only then can we start living in a way that feels steady. Maybe not untouched—but rooted. Like those flowers under the freeway. Not asking for attention. Just being.