Listen> https://youtu.be/pPHKVSkCXEE?si=7yQcGPPr1PdW0goR
I Knew I Was a Flower
I knew I was a flower
In a garden rich and green
Standing with my friends
Beneath the summer beams
But I wandered from sunlight true
Though the sky was clear and blue
And little by little each passing day
My colours faded from view
I knew I was a flower, I stood tall with my friends
But wilted early, out of step and began to bend
God whispered, turn dear flower toward the water and sun
I moved at my Creator's command and stood tall again
I watched the other flowers
Still standing proud and green
Turning toward the daylight
Beneath the summer beams
While I bowed where shadows grew
Though the morning brought fresh dew
And little by little each passing day
My colours faded from view
I knew I was a flower, I stood tall with my friends
But wilted early, out of step and began to bend
God whispered, turn dear flower toward the water and sun
I moved at my Creator's command and stood tall again
I heard a gentle whisper
As I lay upon the ground
Guiding me to sunlight true
Where life could still be found
So I turned to sunlight true
And drank the morning dew
And little by little each passing day
My colours came back into view
I knew I was a flower
But did not seek rain or sun
And wilt I did amongst my friends
I knew I was a flower, I stood tall with my friends
But wilted early, out of step and began to bend
God whispered, turn dear flower toward the water and sun
I moved at my Creator's command and stood tall again
I moved at my Creator's command and stood tall again
Moved at my Creator's command and stood tall again
STORY BOARD
SONG OVERVIEW
Written and produced by Tasmanian Songwriter Jason Bresnehan, I Knew I Was a Flower is a musical arrangement in the adult contemporary genre with a female vocal.
The song tells the story of a flower growing within a healthy garden yet gradually wilting despite having access to everything needed for life. Through the imagery of sunlight, water and growth, the lyric explores how a person can understand their own nature while drifting away from the actions required to sustain it. The flower's decline is not caused by the garden, the season or the weather. It comes from turning away from the things that give life.
Across the three verses the flower moves from quiet decline, to visible struggle, to renewal. A gentle whisper guides the flower back towards sunlight and water, and by responding to that guidance the flower regains its colour, strength and place amongst the other flowers. The song is ultimately a reflection on growth, responsibility and the life-giving power of movement.
THE STORY BEHIND THE SONG
At the heart of I Knew I Was a Flower is a simple observation: understanding who we are does not automatically guarantee growth. The flower knows what she is from the opening line. She belongs in the garden and stands amongst other flowers like herself. Yet little by little she begins to wander from the very things that sustain her.
The lyrics deliberately present a slow decline rather than a dramatic collapse. The flower first wanders from "sunlight true", then bows where shadows grow, and finally finds herself lying upon the ground. Throughout this journey the sources of life remain available. The sunlight continues to shine. The morning dew continues to appear. Other flowers continue to flourish nearby.
Everything changes when the flower responds to the gentle whisper guiding her back towards life. By turning once again towards sunlight true and drinking the morning dew, growth naturally returns. The recovery is neither instant nor miraculous. It is the result of movement in the right direction.
I Knew I Was a Flower forms part of both the Identity Truth Ribbon Collection and the Movement Ribbon Collection. The song belongs naturally within both collections because the flower understands what she is from the opening line, yet gradually drifts away from the actions required to flourish. The story therefore explores the relationship between identity and movement through a single metaphor, showing how growth depends not only on understanding who we are, but also on acting upon that understanding.
FAITH AND SPIRITUALITY
Faith is woven gently throughout the song. The Creator appears not through force or judgement, but through a quiet whisper offering direction. The flower remains free to respond, and the beauty of the story comes from that response.
The recurring chorus captures this relationship through the line:
"God whispered, turn dear flower toward the water and sun."
The instruction is simple. The flower's transformation begins when she acts upon it. In this way the song presents spiritual growth as a partnership between guidance and response, where the whisper provides direction and movement brings renewal.
THE ARTWORK
The artwork presents a vibrant garden filled with colourful flowers standing tall beneath warm light. At the centre of the scene sits a single flower drooping towards the earth while the surrounding flowers remain upright and healthy.
The image captures the central message of the song perfectly. The wilted flower exists within the same environment as the healthy flowers. Light is present. Growth is possible. Life surrounds it. The contrast highlights the lyrical theme that flourishing requires more than simply existing in a good environment.
The healthy flowers create a sense of possibility, while the wilted flower becomes a visual representation of the struggle described throughout the verses. The image reflects the point in the story where decline has become visible but renewal remains within reach.
PERSONAL CONNECTION TO JASON BRESNEHAN SONGWRITER AND PRODUCER
The personal connection behind I Knew I Was a Flower comes from Jason Bresnehan's belief that growth requires more than self-awareness. Throughout his experiences in recovery, faith, business and personal development, he has repeatedly observed that understanding a truth is only the beginning. Progress occurs when people act upon that truth.
The flower became a powerful metaphor for expressing this idea. A flower may know exactly what it is, yet it must still seek sunlight and water if it is to flourish. The song captures the universal experience of recognising what is needed, drifting away from it, and then finding the courage to return.
While the lyric is told through the story of a flower, its message applies broadly to life. Every person faces moments where they must decide whether to remain where they are or move towards what gives life. I Knew I Was a Flower is a reflection on that choice and the restoration that can follow when the right direction is chosen.
***
I am currently at the Omni Interlocken in Broomfield, CO, attending the 2026 Durango Songwriters Expo. Come and say hello.
YouTube - Playlist Jason Bresnehan
YouTube Top Songs – Jason Bresnehan
Seventh Ribbon Music, Jason Bresnehan’s music label.
Search for Bresnehan on Spotify to find all my songs and various playlists.