Friday, August 26, 2011

Flower Power


My first green gladiola. Absolutely breathtaking.


My beautiful bouquet on any given day <3
No, this isn't a flash back to the "make love, not war" mantra of the 60's although I have no issue with that concept.  Rather, this is a recognition of the impact that gardens and flowers have upon our lives.

I've always appreciated the beauty of flowers but this year has been exceptional as I was diagnosed with Antiphospholipid Syndrome after nearly 7 years of hell. Anyone who has gone through a similar process can appreciate my sentiments.

As a result of many ischemic strokes, I have hemiparalysis on the right side of my body.  Some days, I am functional, other days, particularly when my estrogen levels are high and I get numerous clots in my liver, kidneys, large and small intestines, heart, lungs and brain, I can barely move.

I have set up at my bedside a wonderful aquarium with beautiful fish that set my mind at peace. I also have my Bible that I can read for inspiration to get through the day and the laptop, if I am able to sit upright, I am able to plan lessons for my homeschooling children.

Since the onset of summer, though, I have a wonderful addition to my bedroom. Fresh cut Gladiolus. Oh my, what a wonderful inspiration and beauty to gaze upon. These arrangements are stunning and bring some of the beauty of my garden indoors, as pictured.

A fellow gardening enthusiast, has had her breast cancer come back. I always worry because when cancer comes back the second time, it usually comes back with a vengence.

So, I brought a bouquet up to her at her hospital room and made sure I chose a beautiful array of colors.  Unbenouced to me, gladiolus are her favorite flowers and it was such a stark contrast how those beautiful flowers stood out in that miserable hospital room. It left me thinking about the impact and role that flowers play in our lives.

Weddings, funerals, births, well wishes, the plevy of contexts that flowers play a pivotal role in our lives. And I think it's because of the viseral reaction that flowers invoke. The myriad of colors, the ruffle of shapes, the fresh, crisp newness that reminds us how they are borne from the earth.

I suppose, it also reminds us how fleeting life can be.

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