There is a quiet kind of strength that lives inside a magnolia. It’s one of the reasons she has become one of my favorite flowers to paint. She holds power and softness at the same time — an unwavering presence wrapped in patience and tenderness. She doesn’t rush. She doesn’t push. She simply opens when she knows it’s time.

Every time I watch a magnolia bloom, I feel she carries a message — not loud, not urgent, but unmistakably clear. She whispers:

“Open. Open your heart to receive.
You are worthy of everything your soul desires.”

And there is something profoundly healing in that reminder.
So often, we focus on giving, supporting, caring, creating… and we forget the other half of the cycle — receiving. Allowing ourselves to be open. Allowing abundance, love, inspiration, and connection to flow in. Magnolia teaches me that receiving is not selfish. It is sacred. It completes the balance.