Flower Power

It is just about that time of year again. The time of year when the overly enthusiastic radio announcer makes it her mission to constantly remind us that it is nearing Love Month. It has been almost a year since I started this blog, and for those who have been following from the beginning (I'm talking to you here Tim), you may remember that I mentioned this radio announcer in last year's Valentine's Day blog. I'm quite sure that it is the same announcer; her voice seems to grate on me in the same way as last year's Love Month advocate. However, irritating disembodied voices aside, the reality is that Valentine's Day is swiftly approaching.

Cliches abound on Valentine's Day; flowers, chocolates, those tiny heart shaped lollies with the cute little love-related messages delicately written with sugar.... the whole shebang. I love cliches. In my opinion they are cliches because they work. Flowers are particularly lovely. Chocolates are great but they are great on any occasion. There is something special about flowers. It is with a certain degree of alarm that I have realised that many people do not understand the act of giving flowers. These misguided people are often men, although can include women as well. I am reminded here of an episode of Prison Break. Towards the beginning of the series Micheal is attempting to woo Sarah, the prison doctor. Initially his motivation for wooing her is so that he can use the infirmary in his escape, however as time progresses Sarah captures his heart (aww...). Anyway, Micheal asks Sarah what her favourite flower is. Sarah, in an attempt to convey a tough exterior, replies that she doesn't like flowers because they only die. The next day Sarah enters her office to find a paper origami flower that is clearly from Micheal, and she cannot keep the smile from her lips. A flower that will never die. If any female viewers hadn't already melted under the intense gaze of Wentworth Miller, this scene would have done the trick.

However Sarah, like many women, has completely missed the point of flower giving. It doesn't matter that flowers wither and die after a few days (or even less if it's the height of a Townsville summer). One of the wonderful things about flowers is that they serve no functional purpose. They are simply beautiful. When someone gives you flowers you don't have to do anything with them, or use them to accomplish a particular task or put them towards anything else of practical value. All that is required of you is the ability to admire their natural beauty. I love that about flowers. We give them to people who we care about because they display the amazing artistry of our awesome God who loves us immensely. So immensely that the world He created is overflowing with breathtaking beauty that serves no other role than that of reflecting His great love.

"Every experience of beauty points to [eternity]". - Hans Urs Von Balthasar.

I have no idea who Hans is but he seems to be on the right track. Sharing a small portion of this beauty through something as simple as flowers is, in my opinion, incredibly lovely.

As an aside, this week I have been reading a book called "Captivating" by John and Stasi Eldredge. If you haven't read it you really should, it's a great book. Essentially the book explores the heart of a woman. A portion of the book talks about beauty, here is a quote:

"Have you ever wondered why we send flowers to the bereaved? In the midst of their suffering and loss, only a gift of beauty says enough, or says it right".

When you are going through a difficult time in your life, there is nothing worse than receiving one of those patronising cards with a giant smiley face leering at you with the slogan "Everything will be ok!" written underneath. Sometimes words don't suffice. Sometimes it takes an experience of true beauty to calm our hearts.

So to all of those who will be celebrating Valentine's Day this year, particularly men, don't give your loved one something practical or useful. Give her something that is entirely useless yet stunningly beautiful. I hope that this blog has helped to give a little perspective on flower giving. :)