It is still officially Winter, but there are a few flowers in the garden. Between showers, I wandered out with my scissors to find a small bunch to brighten my office. I love to have fragrant flowers nearby while I work. At first I couldn’t find many, and became distracted with dead-heading the daisies. That reminded me of Alice in Wonderland when the Queen makes her pronouncement – ‘Off with their heads!’ But in this situation, the heads were already dead and their removal made way for new daisies to make their appearance.
There are times in life when we don’t always recognise that something has gone past its ‘use-by’ date, and we hold on to it for longer than necessary. This could be a wilting lettuce in the fridge, or a wilting relationship. Perhaps it’s a car that is developing rust spots, or an old habit that is holding us back from success or happiness. What do we miss out on because we are hanging on to something that is already dead?
Once sufficient daisies had been dealt to, I recalled my reason for wandering about the garden. It’s so easy to become distracted these days. Several recently-opened white daisies made the grade so they came with me. Then I found one freesia – the rest not quite open yet. Several stalks of alyssum joined my tiny posy, but it was still sparse. Then I remembered the early-cheer – was it out yet?
Wow! I could have made a huge bunch with the group huddling by the back gate. I hadn’t realised they were already in flower. Leaving most in their happy place I selected two – my vase is a small one. There was no need to take more than necessary.
Now my wee posy fills the whole office with their subtle fragrance, and cheers my heart with their beauty. When I take a pause from writing I can enjoy them, hopefully for several days to come.
My plans for today include continuing editing Book One of The Thousandth Way Chronicles: Doorway of Death. Despite having read it several times – and considering I am the author – I still enjoy the characters and the plot. There are deaths of course; some tragic, others triumphant. The final death makes way for a new life. Which I guess in a way is true of all life and death.
(Adapted from first publication on Nana’s Blogs from the Beach 8/8/22)
