I like to buy flowers. When I go to the grocery store, I often put a bouquet of flowers in my basket. I consider it rescuing them from certain death. Sometimes I find someone to give them to and other times, I cut them and place them in a vase for my husband and me to enjoy. Flowers just make life better.
The other day my neighbor shouted from her doorway, “Don’t go! I want to show you something.”
She brought out the amaryllis bulb I had place on her doorstep around Christmas time. It was blooming, a beautiful white double blossom.
“Isn’t it beautiful?” she cried. “Do you want it back?”
“Of course not. It’s meant for you to enjoy.”
“I do love flowers, you know.”
What is in your heart today? Love, gratitude, grief? It’s all there. Take time today to hold your own heart with compassion. Buy yourself flowers.
To end this post, I want to share Avalyn’s heart poem. This was not my doing. She saw it in a book (Sharon Creech’s Love That Dog) that you can make a poem into a shape, so she wanted to try it. I showed her a quick YouTube video, and she created her own.
Reflections on the Teche 
My goodness…what a top-off of my love tank to drive to school on. I can just see you sharing an amaryllis bulb with a neighbor. That makes so much Margaret-sense. And, you know I love how you are collaging more and more. The music behind the heart full of chambers of beauty is such a good idea! And, it’s pretty. My heart holds so many things these days…I wish I had time to process it all. How can it be that I need more time these days than years ago? Avalyn has totally “got” the concept of turning words into gifts. Beautiful. Thank you for this post.
How lovely. I have missed my weekly flowers so much during the many, many weeks when I’ve had groceries loaded into my trunk, everyone masked, and when just as I think maybe I’m ready to go inside to shop, another variant pops up. But how I miss those flowers. And my heart has been full of so many emotions, a lifetime of emotions in these two years, from joy and wonder every day in some way, to anger and loss-related despair. And ‘heart’ is also my poetry critique group’s challenge poem for this month…I chose one of the old, diminishing number of barns I see as I drive out of the city to a farm with castoff horses—the fading heart of family farms.
The fading heart of family farms. Lovely but sad line. Thanks for reading and responding.
So beautiful, Margaret! I love your inspiring collage, with music supporting/permeating the heart. I smiled at your ideas about flowers – I’m crazy about them, too, and may go right out and find some for myself today. Avalyn’s heart poem is gorgeous – I need to put some poetry into a shape…thank you for all this creativity!
Margaret — Saving bouquets of flowers from certain death is a beautiful perspective. I often pass by bouquets and tell myself I do not “need” them; but now, armed with your lovely perspective I can rescue them instead! I always admire the collections you string together in your blog posts. This one is beautiful, as always.
Margaret, I love your post. Avalyn’s concrete heart poem is beautiful as is your colorful collage made on a song. I always loved teaching concrete poetry because the children wrote and illustrated such creative poems. I totally agree flowers make life better. I knew I was missing something. Flowers from my garden. Flowers from a farm. Flowers from my Christmas cactus and African violet because they are moody about blooming since I don’t have a lot of sun. Before Christmas I bought some kind of bright pink flower that was supposed to stay in bloom. I guess I over watered it and it died. Thank you for reminding me to get my amaryllis bulb going. I give them out for Christmas presents, also. I think I’ll go to the store this weekend and “rescue some flowers”, but after I enjoy cross-country skiing on the snow and ice, we’re receiving from the present storm that continues into tomorrow. Thank you for sharing your student’s love, your love, artwork, inspiration, and kindness. Joy went straight into my heart.
Those roses-! Their bright colors lift my heart, as does your gorgeous heart card collage (love the hymn). Avalyn’s shape poem is just perfect. I love how she was inspired to create it.
I love the thought of rescuing flowers from certain death–as pure a reason for purchase as can be! Avalyn’s shape poem is lovely, especially because it was sparked by Love that Dog.
Those roses are beautiful! I think you may have triggered a wave of flower rescues. And your collage is delightful. I love Avalyn’s shape poem. I had a student do a box of chocolates as a concrete poem for Mother’s Day one year. Sweet memories.
I love this idea that buying flowers is rescuing them from death! My sister buys flowers everywhere she sees them. It’s such a lovely thing to do, but I never think of it when I’m out. This week, I may just have to do it.
I think several people may be buying flowers this weekend! What a lovely post from flowers to that beautiful love poem. I have been into collaging lately, so I am in love with yours!
I have never thought of buying flowers as an act of saving them from death. The story, the flowers, the art, the poem mix so well together in this post.
You had me smiling at flowers. After reading Simple Abundance by Sara Ban Breathnach many years ago, I started buying flowers every week for our home; my husband now does the bulk of the grocery shopping, and continues the habit. They really do make a heartfelt difference! And now I am inspired to gift someone with flowers, too; maybe I’ll make a May Day project out of it, and treat my neighbors. And the concrete poem…wonderful. I am struck by the line “Love is weaker than my heart.”
There was a part of me that wanted to ask her about that line, Love is weaker than my heart, but I didn’t. Who am I to question the words of a young poet? I did May Day flowers a few years ago and it was so much fun. I should plan better to be able to do it again this year.
Margaret, I did read your post a few days ago but did not add a comment since the little grandgirls were here and I got distracted. Your heart collage is lovely and the quote so true. I finally decided to take a break and be kind to myself. A cup of tea and reading poetry is a great combination. My heart is tired today but full of thankfulness for the five days I spent with the little ones. Being a grandma is Happiness as you well know. Please tell Avalyn that I appreciate her lovely heart poem. The design is creative. Have a great week.
Margaret, I had a bouquet of fresh tulips – gorgeous, blushes and vibrants, and I put them back yesterday when I went to get my husband’s card in Walmart. I fretted about wanting them so but not feeling it quite right to buy flowers for myself. You have given me the license I need to be a flower rescuer henceforth. I’m loving this new mindset already. Thank you!
Kim, it’s never a bad idea to buy flowers!