Say it with flowers

I’ve never really thought about why we traditionally give people flowers when they are sick. Sure, I’ve always liked it…

We still have this flu. Bugger. Anyway, my sweet little Missy 1, almost two is really not enjoying herself. She doesn’t get sick very often at all, and when she does, it’s a shock to us and a shock to her. She’s been up coughing all night the past two nights, and throughout the days. I gave her a nap time today when she wouldn’t stop screaming with her headache, her cough and just sheer exhaustion. Of course, she didn’t sleep, and came out from nap time much crankier and in fine form with the screaming and coughing.

She didn’t want her cup, she didn’t want the boob, didn’t want her dummy, heck, she didn’t know what she wanted. My fiance and I were just holding our headache-y foreheads, trying to dull the effects of her piercing screams.

In desperation, I decided to take her outside to pick some flowers, just to take her mind off her woes, and give everyone’s ears a rest. On heading out, I realised that I didn’t really even know what flowers we had in our front garden since moving here!

Daisies, lavender, roses, geraniums! My sweet baby settled immediately, mesmerised by the visual feast before her. I picked one and gave it to her. Instant joy. She wanted all the different types of flowers, and I was happy to oblige. As I picked, my nostrils filled with the soothing scent of lavender, the happy smell of geraniums and the sweet, pretty perfume of the rose.

It dawned on me; that is why we give flowers to sick people! Not only are they beautiful to look at, but the scents have an instantly calming effect. She helped me to pick flowers for her big brother and her daddy (Missy 9 was at school, of course).

We came inside, and her brother was then cheered instantly by the flowers (he was sick too, and upset by her screams prior to this). They sat, they sniffed, they touched the blooms, Missy 1 brushed what little hair she had with them and sat quietly, spinning her new treasures in her hands.

I now vow to remember to enjoy our flowers more often.