Poets and artists have found inspiration in the beauty of nature for thousands of years. When I was a depressed sixteen years old, I found inspiration and strength in a lotus flower (not literally inside one, I wouldn’t have fit, even back then). You might think I am being a sentimental fantasist, but it’s true. Something about the lotus flower shook me to my core. The Ancient Egyptians saw the lotus flower as a symbol of rebirth, they saw the lotus flower slip back into the water at night then reemerge with the sun the following morning, its petals unsoiled. Buddhists associate the lotus flower with faith and spiritual awakening. Meanwhile, in Hinduism, the lotus flower symbolises beauty, eternity, purity and spirituality. Many Hindu Gods and Goddesses, including Goddess Lakshmi, can be seen sitting within a lotus flower (she can fit inside) or holding one. During our Mahalakshmi celebration, our Goddesses held real lotus flowers Being a teenager is tough, becoming an adult is rarely an easy ride. In those days I felt disgusted in my own skin, a blanket of dark mist felt over my life. I was convinced that I would be this way forever. I thought that I was destined to be permanently stained by that [...]