Flowers

In 2017, my daughters sent me a bouquet of flowers for Mother’s Day, couriered to my workplace. At the time, I was living in Sydney while they were back home in Adelaide. They missed me and wanted to surprise their mum and make the day special. Instead, they received my response: “Whose idea was it to send me dead flowers?”

There are moments in life you wish you could rewind, and this one stands out for me. I was never truly appreciative of intricate floral arrangements. Growing up in a village, flowers were admired in the fields and gardens - not brought inside the house. I never understood the purpose behind floristry or the floral industry. When someone passed away, we placed a plastic wreath on their resting place and lit candles. At weddings, there were simple floral decorations, but the focus was on great food and paper art. A few paper ribbon roses could create a real wow factor!

The 2010s represented a time of strong environmental focus in my life. To me, cut flowers represented dead energy. Commercially grown flowers were hybrids, thus useless to pollinators and other creatures. I would even smirk walking past florist shops.

Today, I realise that in trying to change the world for the better, I became harsh and bitterly prudent. I’ve since learned that the living world is a sum of all people, animals, and plants. If everyone is happy and accepting of themselves, accommodating of others, the world becomes a better place. We can learn from minerals, plants, and animals that they are content with their place and do not try to change it. True change begins within. When we change ourselves, our world becomes happier and radiates outward.

My girls have forgiven me for that emotional injury because they understood where I was coming from. Now, every time I drive past Brigette’s Cottage Plants in Charleston and see the posies at her roadside stall, I stop and pick some up for my daughters. They appreciate this gesture and my transformation from a stern, strong greenie into someone more mellow and accepting of the simple gifts the world offers.

I now understand that our decisions influence our reality, but so does embracing what is. I’ve learned to appreciate beauty, and the gestures of appreciation that others extend. I’ve realised that flowers not only fulfil a crucial role in nature. but also beautify our living spaces. While many flowering plants serve as a primary food source for pollinators, not every flower exist for this reason. Some are cultivated purely for aesthetic value, cultural significance, or symbolic meaning - reminding us that beauty and expression are essential aspects of life. Flowers are a universal symbol of love and care, conveying a message that someone wants us to feel valued.

And perhaps most importantly, I’ve learned to accept that we are worthy of receiving those gifts as well.