Listening to my Life – Flowers

When I sit down to write about things I’ve said or done, the last thing I want to do is to present myself in a favourable light. Well maybe just a bit, after all I’m human. So first a peep at my shadow side; two peeps.

We were sitting quietly, it must be 10 years ago now, in a Sunday morning service. I almost missed it when the minister said, would all the men who bought flowers for his partner stand to their feet. Out of probably 400 people, not all men admittedly, I was the only man to rise to his feet. 

My wife was appalled, ’t’is the first time ever, he bought me flowers and he gets a standing ovation’! She was right; to make things worse, until a few weeks ago, I hadn’t bought her any since then; (I’m trying to make up for it now.)

Moving on, a couple of years ago I decided I wanted to send flowers to a dear friend who’d stayed in touch with us through thick and thin since we left Essex. We’d known her since her school days and now she’s married with a wonderful family and is incredibly busy but still finds time to send cards every birthday. It took me two whole years to actually get down to it and send the flowers. She was thrilled that I’d taken the trouble. Why did it take me so long!

So, during this sad time of being shut up in our homes, when I pondered what we could do to make small differences in people’s lives, the thought came to me, send flowers. Better than chocolate. If not better, then healthier. 

Since then we’ve enjoyed sending flowers to bless and encourage on more than a dozen occasions, not cheap, but cheap compared to what we’ve saved not eating out. May I then encourage you to join me in sending flowers, without waiting for a reason. Not only will it help the economy but it’ll make a difference to someone who might need a lift at this challenging time, and not just the flower sellers.  Even when we’re finally allowed out to play life will continue to be a challenge for many of us. More than that, let’s be especially kind and generous to as many people as we can, friends, enemies, strangers even. 

So, if you’re feeling a bit low down in the lockdown dumps, send me your address; I’ll send you flowers.

’The spring came suddenly, bursting upon the world as a child bursts into a room, with a laugh and a shout, and hands full of flowers’. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Prayer
Lord, thank you for the gift of flowers, so incredibly beautiful, yet so fragile, so easily crushed and wounded. Bit like people. Flowers move us, delight us;  through them we can dimly discern something of your glory, your beauty. The people we meet each day are much the same;  beautiful, fragile, easily crushed and wounded. Help us Lord to see your face in every one we meet, and to treat them as though they were a precious orchid, with kindness and gentleness, mindful that they carry burdens we can’t imagine. For the precious gift of flowers we are grateful.

•