FLOWER
I was wondering what I could write about this afternoon and came up with the word 'flower'. Why? Because I love flowers and I love taking pictures of flowers. I like planting them and watching them grow and bloom. They're fascinating.

When I bought a macro lens, I got deeper into the blooms and saw how intricate and sensuous they can be which made me think about God and His creations. You are always hearing people say, “Write about what you know” and I know a little about flowers. 

I looked up the word 'flower' in Webster's and the definition reads : 1. the blossom of a plant.

I looked up 'blossom' to see if further details would unfold: 1. the flower of a plant.

Hmm . . . not much help. It smacked of the chalked equation on blackboards in math class: if A equals B and B equals C, then A equals C. See?

Perhaps the next definition of 'flower' would be more helpful: 2.a the part of a seed plant comprising the reproductive organs and their envelopes if any, esp. when such envelopes are more or less conspicuous in form and color.

First of all, you have to wonder about the minds who wrote this stuff because it is devoid of emotion, elation, excitement, anything. You can hear the guy in Ferris Bueller's class drone on . . . Anyone? . . . Anyone? . . . Bueller?

Huh? Wiping the drool off the mental desk of my mind I had to realize that the second definition was more graphic than I expected or wanted, but it does define some of those macro shots I took, I must admit. Webster's then offered a complete diagram of a flower in cross-section with all of its body parts named. I know flowers aren't human, but the names of its parts sure sound male/female. The diagram should have a rating on it like 'NC17' or 'Parent's Discretion Advised for 13 or Below' because your progeny, of whom you are so proud of at the I-can-read age of 5, will deftly peruse definition number 2a, then ask you in their sweet, innocent voice, 'what's an ovary'? You may not be comfortable or ready to discuss that word yet because it's hard for you to even let it blossom out of your own mouth.

So, take them by their pudgy, little hands, smile and suggest going out in the garden instead. Smell the roses. When they are sixteen, you can let them look through your macro lens and get a glimpse of a blossom in all its exposed glory.

(c) nancy 8.6.2009