“In Full Bloom” :: An Ode to Flowers by Mony Nation

In Full Bloom

Reminiscent Nostalgia of the Blossoms that Bring us Joy

She was a little bitty ole thang, squeezing her way through, rising above where she was planted. Sleek and slender, soaring past the hardness decorating the cold and hot surroundings, swaying with every wispy spell that blew through. Her roots ran deep, seemingly. She was one who veered off the beaten path. The black and white centered red delicacy would litter the street or the bottom of one’s feet. Yet, her retreat delighted anyone she dared to meet if only momentarily as her season was for a few mere weeks. Although fleeting, the joy of her beauty would last at least a lifetime ingratiated upon the memory of frolics in fields of green and beams of light cascading before night.

I am one of those women who loves flowers not only for their beauty but also for their uniqueness. I love how sending a bouquet can brighten a person’s day. Moreover, I love how a single flower can be just as impactful depending on who gifts it. There are many meanings predicated upon the variety and color of the flowers. I love you; I am thinking of you; I miss you; Dear friend; Sorry for your loss; There’s hope. With more meanings than we will ever know or ascribe, the delight of flowers is not to be ignored. If you are wondering, yes, I am one of the ones who stops to smell the roses both literally and figuratively. Sometimes in life we never know what will come our way. We can plan and plan, but seeing something as beautiful as delicate petals growing in the harshest conditions is cause for a pause. 2020 has been that pause. The people of the world have become those delicate petals growing through harsh conditions. Yet, we persevere.

For this story, I wanted to give you, the readers’ eyes, something to remember. I thought I wanted to talk about the many jaunts I had to The Netherlands and all the things that could be experienced there, but all I desired to share was beauty. So, my mind wandered to the many walks I’ve taken across this world including chasing wildflowers in California with one of the best people I know. I thought of the times I’ve stayed up after long flights just to have dinner with good friends. I thought of the children of all of my long-time friends and loved their many hellos or their hiding, smiling faces ready to play when I’d enter a room. “Auntie Mony is here!” Oh, how I miss sweet times as these…

So yes, although this past year has brought me to a dangerously low place like so many others, I had the option to thumb through the images I’ve captured over the years. Travel is immensely vital to many economies and individual livelihoods, my livelihood. With the advent of Covid-19 and international travel being banned for Americans, memory lane has been one of my buoys. Some of my best memories are visiting gardens. In the Netherlands, there is one such place, Keukenhof. Every year from the end of March until the beginning of May, fields of tulips are planted and harvested for worldwide distribution. In the midst of these fields, there is this massive garden filled with many varieties and colors of tulips, daisies, and others I don’t know the name of honestly. Being on furlough has been one of those things I never thought would happen. Thus, remembering the time I spent walking among the tulips has been even more special.

According to www.proflowers.com, tulips “express a genuine coziness and comfort in all of the right ways, like your favorite pair of jeans. Overarchingly, they mean perfect love. Red tulips represent true love. Purple denotes royalty. Yellow alludes to cheerful thoughts, while white sends the message of worthiness and forgiveness. By them blooming each spring, these blooms can signal rebirth. May the images of these flowers from the Keukenhof garden bring you joy and happiness and hope for a brighter future.