The Pathos of Flowers
04/13/2010
You're perfectly welcome to laugh at me for this. But I'm always struck by the strange waste of flowers that bloom and fall to the ground within a day or two, quite possibly without anyone ever seeing them. I won't say it strikes me as sad, exactly, but...it strikes me.
This tree grows beside the street leading down the hill to my house. I don't know what kind it is. Never before this year (and we've been here since 1992) had I noticed the flowers that it bears.
There's another one on the other side of the street, a little further down the hill, and I first noticed the flowers when I was walking one morning and saw this:
Sorry it's out of focus, but you get the idea. There was twenty square feet or so of flower-carpet. I looked up and saw something like the first picture, only with fewer flowers still on the tree. Can anyone tell me what kind of tree this is? The flowers are two-three inches (5-7cm) across. Here's a closer look:
I don't know what they are, but they're sure pretty.
I used to think that it was a waste of money to buy people cut flowers that were only going to die in a few days, but then it struck me that it was a real sign of affection to spend that time and money on someone just to please them for a short time.
So, maybe this is God's way of showing how much He loves to please us. He makes these nice flowers so we can enjoy them for a short time.
Of course, it's an equal waste of money to give me potted plants, because I manage to kill them in just about the same amount of time as the cut flowers. It always makes me feel bad--as though I'm letting the friendship die--but I get over it. But, I do hope that God doesn't send me any potted plants.
I hope this makes some small bit of sense. I'm really tired.
AMDG
Posted by: Janet Cupo | 04/13/2010 at 09:29 PM
Wahaha!!!
*furtively snatches a few flowers*
Ahehehe!!!
*stealthily takes a picture while furtively taking more flowers.*
Wahahaa!!!
*backs away slowly hands behind her back*
Posted by: antiaphrodite | 04/13/2010 at 11:10 PM
Have a good night's rest, Miss Janet!!
Posted by: antiaphrodite | 04/13/2010 at 11:11 PM
Brings Thérèse of Lisieux to mind (as many things have been doing lately; probably a point there somewhere).
Posted by: Paul | 04/14/2010 at 03:26 AM
Yes, there probably is a Therese-related point to be made there, Paul. A flower seen only by God would seem to be just her sort of thing.
Janet, I'm horribly tempted to send you a potted plant with a note "from God." But I won't.
Posted by: Mac | 04/14/2010 at 09:31 AM
You don't actually have to steal the flowers, anti. But maybe it's more fun that way. Or are you describing real-life incidents?
Posted by: Mac | 04/14/2010 at 09:35 AM
The flowers are not 2-3 inches, btw, I noticed this morning. More like 2 inches maximum, most closer to 1.5 (4-5cm).
Posted by: Mac | 04/14/2010 at 12:38 PM
"You don't actually have to steal the flowers, anti."
I'm glad :-)
" But maybe it's more fun that way. "
I imagine it's quite difficult, actually, even in virtual.
Posted by: antiaphrodite | 04/14/2010 at 02:26 PM
Well, you could easily steal *all* of these flowers (right-click, copy image). Picking a handful would be more difficult.
Posted by: Mac | 04/14/2010 at 03:46 PM
"Picking a handful would be more difficult."
Yes, and that's what I was talking about :-D
Posted by: antiaphrodite | 04/14/2010 at 04:42 PM
Our kids did theater for some years: enormous amounts of work for a few performances and then - gone. Many of life's joys are fleeting. I like doing amateurish sand art on our annual beach vacation in part for the silly romantic notion that it will be washed away at the next high tide.
Yep, it strikes me too.
Posted by: Dave | 04/14/2010 at 08:12 PM
Here you go, anti.
Posted by: Mac | 04/14/2010 at 09:14 PM
Yeah, that is a very romantic idea, Dave. Sometimes I think the main lesson we have to learn in life is that things pass away, whether it's quickly or slowly. That's a really important idea in Perelandra.
Posted by: Mac | 04/14/2010 at 09:16 PM
Why, thank you, Sir! I've never gotten virtual flowers before :-)
(And I think the last time I got real flowers was when I graduated from gradeschool!)
Posted by: antiaphrodite | 04/14/2010 at 10:16 PM
You're welcome. They don't have a nice smell, but they won't wilt, either. :-)
Posted by: Mac | 04/14/2010 at 10:49 PM
This is definitely a tree and not a shrub? If it's a tree, I might be able to identify it with one of my field guides.
Posted by: Extollager | 04/15/2010 at 12:53 PM
Yes, it's definitely a tree. If you look at the larger version of that first pic (click on it) you can see the leaves pretty clearly. I've got some field guides, too, but it seems like I usually end up confused when I try to use them.
Posted by: Mac | 04/15/2010 at 02:05 PM
Sorry... I can't tell what the tree is. With that flowers having that richly-colored heart you'd think it might be easy to identify.
Posted by: Extollager | 04/17/2010 at 06:29 PM
The leaves don't look waxy enough for Confederate Jasmine:
http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2579963160043262154dNIBvY
Drupes of blossoms look more abundant than night jasmine:
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/129580/
and absent a perfume its not a lilac either right? How about a native, Catawba:
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/8778/
Posted by: Clare Krishan | 04/18/2010 at 10:57 PM
My friend who used to work in the extension office in New Orleans doesn't recognize your tree. You may have discovered a new species. Maybe the reason you never noticed them before is that they are new to the face of the earth.
AMDG
Posted by: Janet Cupo | 04/19/2010 at 11:30 AM