Blogs by Edie M. Batstone
Mom's Dahlias
3/6/2012 7:15:03 AM
Spring is coming, and what bouquets will be have to give?
Mom’s Dahlias:
If I could plant something in my mother’s room at the Care Centre, it would be a border of dahlias; the old-fashioned blood-red ones that she planted each Spring and stored carefully away each Fall. Under her care, they multiplied and spread down the length of our house, and formed a totally inviting ‘fairy fence’ along the side of our property. They were mom’s pride and joy. Our home was very small, and there wasn’t much room, when you took into account seven children with all of our clothes and treasures, for much in the way of home decorating, but outside, she was free to unleash her love of colour and beauty; and she enlisted our help (stretching the word ‘help’ here) as she put down seeds of poppies, bachelor buttons, hollyhocks, and all manner of beautiful annuals. Then she would fill in with petunias, begonias and roses. The flowers, and the dahlias in particular, were not just something for us to enjoy where they grew, but they were mom’s own ‘bank of generosity’– one that she could take withdrawals from freely, whenever friends and family came to visit. No one went home without a beautiful bouquet of mom’s dahlias, accented by leaves from the carrots, or the asparagus fern. And the dahlias seemed to know the true value of her gifts: they would call out: “deposit has been made!” and then renew their blossoms, with interest, time and again.
With the sun hinting at Spring just around the corner, these thoughts were running through my mind today: memories of dahlias given, and thinking about the gifts ungiven, frozen, within the souls of the seniors around me at the Centre. When we lose that most precious of human freedoms – the freedom to give to others, either material gifts that we have created or chosen; or the physical gifts of ourselves; our talents and unique abilities, our voices; what bouquets have we left to give? Perhaps the bouquets are in the form of patience flowers, and good-natured banter blooms that are still passed around amongst them; and in the many kindnesses that keep blossoming, like those strong, old-fashioned, blood-red dahlias – truly the most precious flowers, and humble gifts. Hopefully, the battery that runs my awareness has been given another boost, and I’ll remember to say thank you for being ‘You’, with my own bouquets – I’ll work harder at planting those seeds, mom!
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