If of thy mortal goods thou art bereft
And from thy slender store two loaves alone to thee are left
Sell one and with the dole
Buy hyacinths to feed thy soul
—Muslihuddin Sadi, 13th Century Persian Poet
I wrote those words on a piece of paper back in 1970, after hearing them recited by Vincent Price on an episode of The Mod Squad.
Flowers add so much to a home. More than just color and fragrance, they present the possibility of a miracle—the feeling that if you look at them long enough, or from just the right angle, or at just the perfect time of day, something extraordinary is going to happen.
I kept flowers in my home until 1998, which was the year the kitties came. My dog, Jake, discovered the litter of four fabulous felines in the yard, and bringing them in meant saying goodbye to the posies. They were too tempting to the kitties, and in some cases, might have been poisonous.
I was the winner in that trade – the kitties brought more color and magic to my life than any rose or daisy could have. Still, I missed the bouquets, their carefree arrangements sitting in a variety of containers.
The loss of two cats, Dickens and Pippen, in 2010 was followed by the loss of their sister, Star, this past July. With only dear Molly left, I wondered if perhaps the time had come to invite the flowers back into my home.
I bought these flowers a few weeks ago. It took Molly two days to see them, at which time she jumped on the coffee table, buried her furry face in them, and then walked away.
“I remember these, Mom,” her eyes said as they met mine. “I’m glad they’re back.”
“Me, too,” I told her..
So, the flowers have returned to my life after 15 years—a gift from Dickens, Pippen, Star and Molly.
So beautiful.
Chris