Wildflowers

An ode to my mother

Growing up, seldom did my house not have fresh flowers.

My mother loves flowers; she always says that “dinner tastes better when there’s a bouquet on the table.” You see, beauty is not a luxury, but a necessity. This is our household philosophy.

Because what’s the point of doing anything if not to make ourselves feel better and live happier? My mother taught me that beauty is a must, that aesthetics are important, and that looking good is a crucial part of feeling good. A beautiful woman is a virtuous one. A beautiful house is a comfortable one. A beautiful mind is a healthy one. There is only one thing she doesn’t like about bouquet flowers—they are short-lived.

They’re grown in greenhouses with controlled temperature and humidity. They’re carefully cut, packaged, and shipped overseas. They’re beautiful to look at but extremely delicate and require lots of maintenance. In contrast, wildflowers are a lot tougher.

When the wildflowers came into bloom, my mother would add to her philosophy…