I Was Thinking... Flowers — Part II

Anyone who writes either a column, puts together a blog or a podcast, or is attempting a novel, has the fear that there may be a time when their ideas dry up. Some call it writer’s block while others refer to it as empty head syndrome.
But whatever you call it, you wonder when it will strike. But if it occurs you just have to look to Hollywood for your solution. If you don’t have any fresh ideas, just repeat an old one. It worked for Jaws II,III & IV, there were six Rocky films and Batman keeps reappearing. So therefore, I should be able to carry on with Flowers II.
We’ve already determined that the main function of a flower is to add beauty to our lives. But that is probably too simple. Think of how else they have become part of our culture. A major wedding decision is the flowers. What kind of bouquet will the bride carry? What flowers will be on the altar and at the reception?
At the end of life, flowers also play an important role. While the deceased can neither smell nor see the flower arrangements, they still become a symbol of love and respect for the person and the family. Unlike the flowers we plant in our gardens that provide beauty all summer, these flowers give up their lives for a brief show of beauty before they wither, fade and are tossed out.
Flowers have also saved many men. Few men can ever find the right gift for their wife’s birthday, Mother’s Day, or for their anniversary. Flowers, however, are always the right size as long as there are enough of them. While a single rose may work sometimes, more may be necessary depending on how badly the guy screwed up.
Flowers are also a good representation of life. Some want to be out in the sunlight so they can blossom and be seen by others. They are showy and want to be noticed. They grow blossoms and are beautiful for a time but eventually also fade. Others are like the hostas, ferns, and lilies of the valley. They have a subtle reserved beauty and can flourish in the shade and the background. They are stable and reliable. Year after year they return and will constantly spread. They always outlast the flowers that bloom and fade.
While most are attracted to the colorful blooms and blossoms of a flower, the working parts are often ignored. To use a sports analogy, we forget about the linemen. In football, the quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers score the touchdowns and get the glory. But it is the linemen in the trenches that make it all happen.
In the flower world, it is the stems, leaves and roots. They anchor the plant, provide it with stability and produce food. Without these three, a flower would never survive or bloom.
Flowers also mimic all life. They have a limited life cycle. They are born of seeds, slowly grow and mature.
When they reach their peak of beauty, they attract bees to pollinate them so they can produce seeds and start the process all over again. Once they accomplish this, they begin to lose some of their beauty and slowly fade away.
Much like the flowers, we grow up, mature, and reach our most attractive state. It is then we attract a mate, reproduce, and create the next generation. And like the flowers at their peak, we also begin to fade, some faster than others. But like the hostas, ferns, and lilies of the valley, we put down roots and come back year after year. We hang around a long time as stable symbols of life that continues.
Did You Ever Wonder? — If money doesn’t grow on trees, why do banks have branches?
Photo: Ron Albright