Reflective Essay : Developmental Psychology activity

When requested to draw a rose bush, I was hesitant, had a poor understanding of the purpose and was unsure of what was expected of me therefore I drew whatever came to mind. At first I saw no significance to my interpretation of specific features of the rose bush. However, after an explanation of the significance of certain features being present, absent or drawn in a specific way, I understood the purpose of drawing a rose bush and how it can be a representation of one’s personal perception of their current state of mind and emotions.
My rose bush had several fully bloomed roses, three buds, and three withering roses whose petals were falling to the ground. There were numerous leaves and a few thorns as well as a horizontal line representing the ground and an abundance of roots running deep. I also drew a little lady bug walking towards the rose bush. The significance of my drawing in respect to my current state of mind and emotions were remarkably precise.
The fully bloomed roses resembled my positive feelings towards my current situations. The budding roses represented the “new” and the growth and optimism I feel for my future, my hopes and expectations of things improving in my life and future gains. I have had a very emotionally draining year and my feelings of loss and need to let go of my father’s unexpected passing and other significant members in my life, can be interpreted in the withering roses. In further interpretation of the withering roses, the petals that are falling to the ground could be a representation of my feelings of “letting go” and loss. Considering buds symbolise life and the “new”, and withering roses symbolise death and the “old”: the amount of buds in comparison to the amount of withering roses can be interpreted as me feeling a level equilibrium in my life as there is a new life for each loss of life. Something gained for something lost. This is exactly how I do feel and what I continuously remind myself, that for everything