Flowers

[KATPILOT]

I blogged this earlier and wanted to share it with friends here.  What you are seeing is my bride Kathy where she has been for the last five years. Not her spirit mind you but just what is left of her physical presence. The story behind the photograph is the flowers themselves. From the first week I have been putting fresh flowers there right on her dresser next to our bed. I don't know how I began but once I did, I couldn't stop.  Now this is not a sad picture but a happy one. Oh I use to bring her flowers on those typical occasions and we would have flowers on the table when we hosted a dinner but fresh flowers every week became a pattern. I began to keep them in the kitchen as well. I would get different ones and new vases when I would find something I thought she'd like but I realized something last night. As I sat on the bed and looked at these flowers I thought "nice choice this time".  I understood that now I am doing it for "me" as well.   I love the smell that permeates my home and even when the old ones go into the trash, my garage smells nice too.  So I did it to honor Kathy. Now it has become a part of my life. If it gave me some silly purpose to my week then so be it. If in my grief it was just doing anything I could to ease the sorrow, than that was okay too. Someone once suggested I stop and smell the roses. Well it seems I took it literally.

So what have we all done to put something pretty back into our lives?  We live in sorrow for so long, we often forget the color in the drab gray that surrounds us. Doesn't it honor them to do something pretty?  It kind of rubs off and makes you feel better too.

[brat#2]

What a beautiful idea and way to honor Kathy.

Joyce

[Mom's angel]

This is so beautiful.

 

I used to bring rose for my mommy on special days or on days when I felt like giving her something. 

Now I do the same thing, the only difference is that now I put the rose in front of her picture. 

It gives a unique kind of feeling and that makes me happy.

[MartyT]

And what a beautiful man you are to do so in this way, dear Stephen.

[enna]

I love the flowers, Stephen. And you asked what we are doing to put some color back in our lives. I have been doing colored pencil coloring for a few years now. It helps me to focus on something other than my grief. Here are a few samples of my coloring.

[Margm]

I love those books.  My congenital tremor makes it where I color outside the lines and I get disgusted with myself and quit.  Good thing my goal in life was not to be a neurosurgeon or waitress.  I used to be able to color in the lines.  Now my straight lines have loops.

[KATPILOT]

That's not such a bad thing Marg. If you want your line straight, use a ruler. If you want your line to fly, use your hand.

[Margm]

Nah, I have had this since puberty, actually 6th grade.  It is a paternal family trait.  It just got worse in later years.  My dad hid his with music, leading singing at our church, he just made it go along with the music beat.  Our son is an artist, our daughter a photographer, they did not inherit it, and it only made me type faster.......I really cannot complain.  

I have Billy's in a beautiful wooden urn with a tree etched in the top with a verse etched into the top.

[MyMB]

I think I know how you feel. I keep fresh carnations, her favorite flower, next to her. It makes me feel like I'm still doing something just for the woman I adore.