Hello Flower Enthusiasts,
I was recently offering a cut flower design workshop and had a lot of insights about flowers that came about through the experience. The event was in a very large space and it was requested that I use a microphone. As soon as I held the microphone in my hand I immediately became aware of the position I was in, how big my voice became and the gravity that went with it. I could feel the size of my voice in a way that I seldom feel. I generally do not stir or rattle at the prospect or act of public speaking until I stood in the shadow of this BIG voice. So I did what a scared public speaker might do if they could, I asked a question and immediately took the heat off of myself while I gained my exposure.
The question I asked the participants was, “why flowers?” One by one, people went around the room singing the praise of flowers and their gardens. Within the answers I heard stories of motherhood, beauty, confidence, perfectionism, connection with nature and so much more. I’ll tell you, by the time the microphone came back to me I was more than ready to step into my big voice and answer my own question, “why flowers?” I think this story exemplifies the inspiring qualities of flowers, the presence they have in the world as beings and their capacity to enliven and soften the edges of being alive together.
So, “why flowers?” After spending ten years in a field filled with them, both materially and energetically I can most resoundingly say, “flowers are timelessly and endlessly offering themselves as deeply embodied inspiration for life, beauty and sustenance”. They nourish the plethora of pollinators that are responsible for the diversity of life, beauty and food sources for the world. In turn through pollination, their deep desire to contribute to their plants’ lineage can become a reality. All due to their tantalizing flower. Hallelujah, it’s all in the field.
Why do we not take their role as seriously as say, maybe kale? Kale too flowers, they are beautiful little yellow flowers that the bees absolutely love. But why do we treat cut flowers almost as a guilty pleasure, maybe a bit too decadent, frivolous, fleeting? Bashfully saying, “I grew food for a while and then I realized I wanted my whole garden to be cut flowers!” Potatoes are incredible, I love beet greens and also I enthusiastically relish in the very unique and very important role of cut flowers.
Flowers have a grandiose job that they perform in a way that almost appears effortless. They are artists in their act of being alive. They nourish with nectar. They tantalize with senses. They are muses. And I don’t get the sense that they ever experience themselves as anything less. Maybe we could take more queues from the blossoms? We are lucky to sing their praises, to work with them as artistic mediums and to simply live in their presence. And if this isn’t something worth getting a big voice for I don’t know what is.
Welcome, to my blog where I will share some of my thoughts of being in the field with flowers.
Your Flower Friend,
Hanna
