The Value of Flowers
In this poor economy everyone is guarding their bank accounts and cutting back on spending with comfort items going first. I’d be the last one to say buy flowers instead of your morning coffee—because I love coffee—but here are some strong cases for adding and keeping flowers in your life.
Having a bad day? Go smell a rose or glance at an orchid. Scientists have proven that color, scent and beauty defined by nature do two things to our psyche, sometimes both reactions at the same time. Oddly, a thing of beauty can increase your blood pressure but also release endorphins, a hormone which acts as an analgesic (pain killer). Color and scent can reduce your blood pressure and cause you to relax. It doesn’t work quite the same way but the effects are the same. Petting a cat or watching fish swim in an aquarium or gazing at flowers all can make a person calm and happy.
On the other hand, give someone a bouquet of Tiger Lillies or Gerber Daisies as a “pick me up” in the afternoon. Combining the right types of flower and color, as well as arrangement, can communicate simple messages. A dozen yellow roses can tell a friend that you love them and that they mean a lot to you. Lillies have been known to help empathise as well as celebrate. And a few full blooming hydrangea can cheer up the most depressed person or brighten a room.
A single blossom in a bud vase can turn an ordinary breakfast into a brunch and daily hygiene into a spa experience. Coffee six days a week can amount to $120 a month. Consider treating yourself to flowers. It can also be a wonderful gift for a friend who has everything. It doesn’t have to be a birthday or special occassion to send someone flowers. Clients and collegues alike, will appreciate fresh flowers more than words can say.
Flowers are one of the few shared luxuries of rich and poor, various cultures and eras, beliefs and values. There’s no arguing that flowers add humanity to our lives. In any economy consider your morning cup of coffee for your head and a bouquet of flowers for your heart!
—CeeJays