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In the
air
Off the
Wall
Feb. 14,
2008
By now, there isn't much left that hasn't been said
about St. Valentine's Day. We know certainly that "love
is in the air." After all, this is a yearly celebration
to which many look forward, both young and old alike. Elementary
students will design and cut out red valentines, cards will be
creatively designed and dropped in boxes to be distributed. Older
youth may buy chocolates or go to the expense of buying some
type of gift or floral arrangement for their sweetheart. And
adults may do something only a little more lavishly or costly.
When it comes right down to it, the feelings of love are conveyed
by the actions of the giver and heartfelt for those receiving
these signs of affection.
Knowing that flowers will be sought for such
an occasion, I asked a local retailer why flowers are so much
in demand for Valentine's Day. I was told, "The color of
red roses signifies love. There is no other gift that conveys
such affection as well as these flowers."
Just the idea of thinking of flowers brought back
old memories of my walks in the woods when I lived in Oakmont.
Along the way, I always found a growth of some wildflowers decorating
my path. Knowing my mother would appreciate some, I would pick
them and present my gift to her when I got home. I always got
a thank you accompanied by a smile. She would then promptly put
them in a little vase.
But then I began thinking. If I would have left
them there to grow, they would have maintained life. By snipping
them off at ground level, the beauty that was there is non-existent.
The stems and the flowers soon withered and eventually died.
Is there a lesson here that God is trying to show
us? Every time we see a shoot break forth from the soil
and creates buds, doesn't it brings with it new beginnings, a
sign of something imaginable to come? Relationships are very
much like flowers. At first, they may seem a bit awkward. As
they slowly take form, one is not sure what the outcome will
be. In the immature stages there is much uncertainty. But just
like a plant growing from the earth, nurturing is vital in order
for blossoming to occur. Similarly, two individuals will have
a tough time if one or both fails to do his part.
Flowers, whether cut or uncut, accentuate life.
Color adds splendor to the many varieties. The petals serve to
attract, even some being scented to draw insects to this masterful
creation. Love, in very much the same fashion, bolsters life,
bringing to the table a wonderful sensation occupying the void
that pre-existed beforehand. One may be attracted to the other
by a slight perfume or cologne that plays on the senses.
Each species has a design. It can be perfectly round,
oblong and multi-shaped, yet be unique unto itself. Partnerships
can be patterned as well. How two people go about forming their
lives may mean the difference between one that has a magnificent
bloom to it or a shriveling effect. If the latter is significant,
it probably stems from the fact that neither party nor both nourished
the relationship as well as they should have.
One flower may be beautiful unto itself. Standing
alone in elegance, it needs nothing to make itself more beautiful.
A person can have such a definition. Just as bouquets increase
the amount of beauty, two people can form a relationship that
emulates inner feelings that draws each to the other creating
such beauty that only God could have made possible.
May it be that we carry this feeling of love throughout
the year.
Paul J. Volkmann
12/6/07
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