Beauty and Joy

About a month ago, we had some friends over for a day by our pool, and the next day they sent us a bouquet of sunflowers.  I am not much of a girly girl, but I couldn’t believe how much I enjoyed having those flowers on my mantle that week.  I spent a few days wishing that my husband would spontaneously bring home flowers from time to time, but after I remembered that he shows his love in lots of other ways, I sort of let it go and resigned myself to not having flowers on the mantle.

Then, last week, while I was at the farm stand, I noticed that they had beautiful bouquets there for just $4, zinnias (I think?!) that are grown on the farm where we buy our produce.  I remembered that I buy all sorts of grocery items (croutons for our salads, spices) which are not “practical” but which serve to make our meals more beautiful and appealing, and I decided that flowers for our home fell in to the same grocery category.  I know, I have to over think everything, but that is just how I operate.  So, I bought the flowers.

During the week that I enjoyed these flowers I also really enjoyed the realization that I can tap into a joy which I give to myself.  Flowers say “I love you, you deserve a little beauty in your life, take time to marvel at God’s creation,” and that is something that I need to tell myself on a regular basis, not just wait to hear from other people.

So, in conclusion, I love my husband, he is terrific, but I’ll buy my own flowers.