sho chiku bai

A traditional Japanese New Years arrangement, sho chiku bai--means pine, bamboo, plum.  The pine stays green all winter, surviving in often inhospitable places, and symbolizes endurance.  Bamboo is graceful, and flexible, bending under the weight of snow, but not breaking.  Plum blossoms begin to flower in winter, their delicate beauty giving us optimism. May we all embody these qualities.