Life is full of light and shade and as you know I prefer to focus on the positive, always looking for the laughs in life. I promise I will do that again tomorrow, but today please allow me a moment to digress. This month brought the sad news that two members of our extended family of life warriors, took it upon themselves to prematurely call time. That, combined with the anniversary of a passing far closer to home, resulted in a mammoth pondering session that eventually gave rise to Happy Flowers Week. I was second guessing whether to do this or not but then something spooky happened, so now I have to.
©The Ponder Room
Sitting on a bench at the cemetery I pondered the usual, what could I do this year to commemorate the passing of a significant life warrior. Ideas came and went as they do, but my mind kept coming back to one idea in particular, Gerbera’s, my go to happy flower. Then came the phrase ‘Lost Love’ but that sounded too sad, I wanted a happy angle, and so my thoughts drifted to ‘Happy Flowers After Love Lost’. The idea started to solidify until eventually I couldn’t ignore it and asked out loud.
©The Ponder Room
“So what do you think?” I turned my head towards the heavens, “Is that an appropriate way to remember you this year?”
Clearly this was a rhetorical question, I didn’t expect an answer. But then I looked to the right, back towards the plaque on the wall and next thing. The sun beamed through the trees and hit me squarely on my face, the rays warming me on a cool day.
©The Ponder Room
I sat in the glow for way too long, enjoying the golden cocoon, but my mind kept oscillated about the obvious. Was this simply a natural occurrence due to the time of day, or was it something else?
“Come on, don’t be so stupid,” I scolded myself out loud as I started to stand, forcing myself to break the connection while my soul longed to stay put.
As I was straightening up I heard a sound on the pond before me. Ducks. Four ducks in full flight coming towards me, downloading their undercarriages and skimming across the surface.
©The Ponder Room
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I yelled, “Ducks on the pond, really?”
©The Ponder Room
Ducks on the Pond was a running joke that my friend had been known for. He used it to alert workmates when a boss was about to enter the work space. I flopped back down onto the bench, considering the coincidence. After a while I got up and slowly moved towards the ducks to enshrine the moment in my phone. Image captured and with the sun almost gone, I got into my car which the ducks were now in front of. Turning the key in the ignition the radio kicked in with …
It might seem crazy what I’m about to say
Sunshine she’s here, you can take a break
I’m a hot air balloon that could go to space
With the air, like I don’t care, baby by the way
Because I’m happy
Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof
Because I’m happy
Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth
Because I’m happy
Clap along if you know what happiness is to you
Because I’m happy
Clap along if you feel like that’s what you wanna do
One of my favourite songs, “Happy” by Pharrell Williams click here.
Desperate to stay in the moment I turned the radio up a high as it would go, and sang along at the top of my voice. A massive grin took over my face. The message was clear …
Time to be happy.
On the drive home, chaperoned by a truck carrying a bountiful haul of witches hats (Instagram followers will know the significance of this), I thought more about the Happy Flowers phrase. By the time I arrived home the concept had morphed into Happy Flowers Week.
I like to think of Happy Flowers Week as a time to remember and celebrate those who’ve made us laugh, love, live fully, or just gave us great hugs. So this week if you come across a flower that makes you happy take a photo and share it here or on Instagram or Facebook using the hashtag #happyflowersweek. Here’s hoping this small gesture will send a message to anyone wondering if there is light at the end of the grief tunnel, a message that they are not alone.
My deepest urge is to delete this post now and not go through with it, but then I look at the top image and know I have to. Lets see if we can spread some love.
#happyflowersweek
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