Although I think about the fixed date 'Love Day' on the calendar with a bit of antagonism; most likely due to my whimsical side chattering to my practical side about the discrepancies of surface gestures, I do love when someone truly digs down deep into their heart and shows their significant other what they mean to them. Especially when a date doesn't dictate they do it.
My husband created three water color on tile art pieces depicting our love when we first met. His creative, giving of himself through his perspective of us melted my heart. Through sixteen years of marriage I have seen our story in those paintings and they have become one of the most precious material possessions I own. This particular gift was spontaneous, it was given of self, it said it all without speaking. If the house was burning and I had to pick the material items that meant the most to me, it would be those art pieces.
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| Peonies Photo By: julierocks |
Now, I know spouses can't give gifts of that caliber to each other all the time and sometimes trinket gifts make you smile and have their purpose in the spectrum of love story-telling. This is why I want to discuss the age-old romantic gesture of why a man should give their wife fresh cut flowers.
I must admit, I shot myself in the foot on this one. I've let the practical side of myself take a little too much of my personality. I'm happy to say, the whimsical side gained some power and finally won the argument over fresh cut flowers.
My stodgy practical self used to say, "Don't bother buying me fresh cut flowers, they die." Now, if I was thinking clearly, the complete thought to this statement would have jumped in behind the absurd comment with, "Yes, of course, flowers die whether they are fresh cut or attached to the plant. So why not enjoy them both ways."
With my newfound, complete thought I have taken a few moments to slow down when I see those annoying grocery store displays of packaged flowers intended to arouse pleasure from the senses and I smell the roses, so to speak. They are scrumptiously beautiful, artfully arranged, breath taking to say the least. I have even taken a few of them home recently just for the celebration of seeing these gorgeous creatures grace my dining table or maybe the sideboard, or no, I like it on the bathtub ledge. I move the well arranged bunch around the house to see how the sunlight hits the water in the glass vase or how the colors of the flowers graces a window pane or how a wall is used as a backdrop to the ever changing art medium of flowers.
Yes, I have changed my thinking about fresh cut flowers. They subtly say, "I'm only here for a brief moment, make me last as long as you can and enjoy me in every way possible." An aphorism that mimics life.
So, if you're a man that has a wife take a little extra time to find a winsome bouquet of fresh cut flowers that speaks to who she is this Valentines Day. They will keep adding to those little things you do that make her proud she chose you.
