Meditating on Descriptions

So many cacti, so many words to describe them

For writers, it can be challenging to come up with fresh descriptions, and we often default to language we have used before. "She pursed her lips," to show deliberation. "He sucked in a sharp breath," to signal a tense moment. A recent trip to a meditation garden -- and the diversity of the cacti I found there -- made me consider this anew. There are hundreds of ways to describe these prickly, voluptuous, gangly, unfurling forms, a realization that inspired me to work harder to find the precise words that will bring my writing to life. How would you describe these cacti?

Thanks to the Self-Realization Fellowship Meditation Garden in Encinitas, CA for this dose of inspiration.