My hope runs eternal though, and every Spring I get sucked into buying hanging baskets or decorative urns to spruce up the porch and deck. They look so pretty in the store and on others’ homes, I can’t help myself. This year, after an extremely long winter enduring some very unexpected and frightening life events, one of the first outings my husband and I took together was to the local greenhouse. Amongst all of the foliage and decor, we happened upon a daisy tree. Yes, you read that right. A daisy tree. We fell in love and knew we needed one in our lives!
Some of you are probably thinking, “What’s the big deal? So what?” And my only answer is that it made us both smile. Not just when we first laid eyes on it, but every single time I see it I can’t help but smile. That, in and of itself, is the big deal.
In this world full of negativity, fear, isolation, war, and seeming hopelessness, the power a smile holds is immeasurable. And a shared smile? What a blessing and a gift!
I’m proud to say, two months later, the daisy tree is still blooming😊 But, it’s only a daisy, you say? When compared to the likes of the regal rose or delicate lily, the daisy may be considered by some to be ordinary and unassuming. Drab. Dull. Commonplace. On the contrary. Did you know in Norse mythology, the daisy is Freya’s sacred flower? Freya is the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility. The daisy has come to symbolize childbirth, motherhood, and new beginnings.
Roman myth points to daisies symbolizing simplicity, chastity, and transformation. Native American wisdom recognizes the daisy as the sun symbol and as such, it represents joy, life, clarity, and truth. Astrological ties to daisy’s symbology include family, patience, persistence, and quiet strength.
Daisy’s are also composite flowers, meaning that they actually consist of two flowers combined into one. The inner section is called the ‘disc floret,’ and the outer petal section is called the ‘ray floret.” Because daisies are composed of two flowers that blend together so well, they also symbolize true love.
These past few months have taught me much. While some lessons have been obvious, others I have yet to understand or even uncover. I’ve always believed the best part of being human is accepting and embracing our connection to nature. Even though in many ways I grew up a “city girl”, I can remember being drawn to nature through my love for animals, my photographer’s eye, my desire to travel, and my artistic interpretations.
Only when we leave the material, man-made world behind (physically and mentally), can we truly bond spiritually to the natural world around us. Whether we are standing on an exotic mountain peak looking over the majestic ground below, or we are barefoot in our yard watching closely as the ants peel away the waxy coverings of peonies buds, nature is wonder-filled, awe-inspiring, and extraordinarily humbling in its breadth and depth. Our simple minds cannot begin to comprehend the totality of miraculous and marvelous amazements waiting to be explored, discovered, and cherished.
It took a modest and humble daisy tree to remind me to appreciate simplicity. Life is as complicated and tormented and ugly as we make it out to be. Choosing joy over pain, love over hate, togetherness over separation, courage over fear, and humility over arrogance is ALWAYS the answer. Getting back to nature in any way possible, as often as possible, will solve more problems, relieve more stress, and renew more hope than any therapist or pharmaceutical regimen.
Do yourself a favor. Get back to nature. Go buy a daisy tree. Share a smile. You’ll thank me😊