Life's Little Barbs...

Not that long ago, I was introduced to the plant called, teasel.  It's a pretty purple flower that grows along the highways.  It is a favorite of bees and butterflies.  Don't try and pick it though.  The stem is covered in sharp barbs and flowerets disguise a cone of thorns.  They can also be quite invasive.

One might want to write it off as a nuisance, but even the most prickly plant in the patch has its purpose.

In the winter, the seeds provide a food supply for goldfinches.  The dried heads can also be used to comb fibers, like wool.  Some even say that their medicinal qualities can combat Lyme disease, act as an antibiotic, improve circulation and cure warts.

The teasel is a plant that is a lesson in life.  From far away an opportunity might seem perfect, but upon closer inspection, it can reveal hidden harms... even still, those little things that make it less than perfect in one light can be transformed into something useful in another.