Beauty of Blossoms

by Diana McCollum

 "If you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, it's your world for a moment." ~ Georgia O'Keeffe

 

The language of flowers has been written about in many, many different books. For the most part the books or articles all agree on the meaning for a particular flower. During Victorian times flowers were used to express emotions when words failed.

 

Red roses are the most common for a lover, or husband to give his love at Valentine’s day. Red roses symbolizes romance and love.

 

I want to take a look at a few of the other flowers in the garden and their meanings. Especially now with Valentine’s Day on the horizon and many of you will be receiving bouquets as expressions of love.

 

The Aster with its daisy like petals and sunshiny centers come in a myriad of colors. The definition of Aster is that it represents patience and a love of variety. Maybe because of the many colors?

 

Forget-me-not flowers are true to their name. They represent good memories and true love. A favorite of Victorian times.

 

 Another daisy like flower is the Black Eyed Susan with its yellow petals and deep brown coned center. This flower represents justice, encouragement and motivation.

 

Calla lilies are used in bridal bouquets quite often and no wonder as they represent magnificence, beauty, purity and innocence. 

The Carnation is a symbol of many different things. The color is what determines the meaning. Here is a list I found on a flower website.

• Red means love, pride, and admiration
• A pink carnation stands for the love of a mother or woman
• Purple carnations mean capriciousness
• Yellow means rejection or disappointment
• White means innocence and pure love
• A striped carnation represents a refusal

 

Today it is 19 degrees and snowing. Next month will be spring and thoughts turn to what to plant in the flower bed. Maybe use the meaning of the flower to plant the garden this year?

 What is your favorite flower and do you know the meaning associated with it?

Purple Heart for Valentines Day

By Diana McCollum.    

I’ve spent a great deal of time pondering what I should write about this month.  The subjects that were suggested by our Blog Queens "Marching to the Beat of a Different Drum."

I chose something entirely different.

I realize death is a sad subject to discuss.  It’s going to happen to all of us at some point in time.  The hope is we live long, healthy, happy and productive lives.  The sad truth is that many lives are cut short by accident, illness or war.

War brings me to the subject of this post on death.

Not all casualties of warfare come home in a flag draped coffin.

While watching “60 Minutes” last weekend I was stunned to hear the Veterans Association state that the average number of suicides per day for vets is twenty-two.  Every 65 mins a vet commits suicide. That is eight thousand and thirty lives per year.

Most of these are young veterans, men and women who survived Iraq and Afghanistan--but who saw such atrocities that their Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder was more than they could live with or who were injured so severely, death seemed better than life.

The young vet, Clay Hunt, who was the featured story, survived the war.  He won a Purple Heart, watched his buddies die in front of him and was wounded, sent home, recovered and went back to war.  When he finally was discharged from the Marines, he told his mother the events of his buddies’ deaths (and there were many deaths) kept playing over and over in his head like a horror movie.  He had PTSD.  Clay told his mother and father, “Marines are at war, and America is at the mall.”

He was disillusioned with America and the nonchalance and lack of concern about the men and women fighting the war.

Clay tried to make a difference in the world.  After the Marines he joined humanitarian efforts traveling to Haiti after the earthquake to help the people there.  He traveled to Chili after another earthquake to help.  Clay had a purpose and seemed to be adjusting to life after war.

But he wasn’t healed or adjusted.

Even with therapy and the support of a loving family and friends the war took Clay Hunt’s life.  He committed suicide at the age of twenty-eight.  Clay was unable to overcome survivor’s guilt and the never ending playback of death in his mind.  This is an American tragedy played out twenty-two times a day.

This young man won a Purple Heart.  He fought heroically for America.  He was brave.  He came home and the war took his life on American soil. https://stopsoldiersuicide.org
My heart goes out to Clay Hunt’s family.

To all the veterans I say thank you for your service, and God bless.  May you find peace of mind in this life. 

You can help by donating to the following organization:

https://stopsoldiersuicide.org

This Valentines perhaps donate to save another soldier.

“Live in the moment.  Dream what you want to dream, go where you want to go, be what you want to be. Because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you want to do.” unknown