Each petal of the flower helps to protect and defend its
inner core from the outside world. We see daffodils open
when they are ready, see rosebuds bloom when nurtured,
and we see waterlilies close when it is dark.

Each of us has developed individual means of protecting
ourselves as we journey through life; we may be aware of
some of them and there may be others we are yet to meet.
We may or may not be acquainted with the meaning or
significances of our defences to our lives and how they
may interact with our past, present and future.

Defences can be a great way of shielding our mind and
body in infinite circumstances such as feeling unsafe,
living with loss or when we are not ready to address
some of our feelings. Sometimes these defences can
linger longer than we need them, sometimes we hold
them close, sometimes we relinquish or replace them. It
may be the case that sometimes what we put in place to
protect us is just what we need.

Learning more about ourselves and how we operate can
intensify our self-awareness; what we choose to do with
that awareness is up to us.

Noelle Okonji, MIAHIP, is a student counsellor
in University College Dublin