Flowers and candles: I underestimated them for far too long.
For years, I told my boyfriends that I hated flowers. I would say, “They’re a waste and they just die.” Joel didn’t believe me, so he got me flowers. I told him it was sweet but he didn’t have to get them for me again.
Months later in the coldness and darkness of winter, I was craving some color. I picked out some bright pink flowers at the grocery store, and they lived on my kitchen table for a week. They made me smile.
Another day, we did a grocery run on the way home where Joel went inside and I stayed in the car. He surprised me with these flowers and I got super excited. He put them on the bedroom dresser and I proclaimed they had to stay there. He found a few forgotten candles that had been sitting around my house and placed them by the flowers.
Only then did I realize that flowers and candles are powerful simplicities that could easily bring a little more joy into my life.
Looking back, it seems silly that I was holding onto negative judgements that didn’t make any sense. Though I was super resistant to having flowers and I always forgot to light candles, once I realized how happy those little things made me, I couldn’t let them go.
They bring wonderful smells into my home, and they make me feel warm, cozy, and peaceful. So, I used up all the candles and bought more. Now, I continue replacing the flowers each time I go to the grocery store. It has become a habit and an essential process.
My thoughts tend to brighten up once the candles are lit. It may seem small, but it feels big.
