This is my first blog so please bear with me.(and I have to readily admit...I NEVER thought I would ever take the needed time to blog!!  Besides, who would find my daily musings about life to be interesting???)
     Yesterday was a rough day for my family and I.  We watched two of our friends bury their dad.  Seeing as how this is the second friend's dad to pass in three months, it doesn't get easier watching those whom you care about suffer through such a loss.
     In each case, I did the family funeral flowers.  While making the casket spray for my friend's dad on Monday, I truly contemplated the importance of flowers.  As a florist, I understand that flowers express emotions.  In the case of a death, there aren't words to truly express how you are feeling when you face the family of the deceased.  It's easier to send a lovely floral piece and let your flowers do the talking for you.
     With each red rose that I placed into the casket spray, I thought of what that rose meant to his surviving wife.  Each fond memory, every trial and tribulation overcome, each life event that holds a special place in her heart.  (Whenever I do remembrance flowers, because that is what funeral flowers are, a remembrance of a life well lived, I try to create a tribute to the deceased through the lovely natural blooms of the flowers.)
     Exactly a year ago, I had a friend lose her dad.  In the obituary they put that phrase, "In lieu of flowers...", which has a good intent, don't get me wrong, but families need to be careful when they print that.  There were barely any flowers there, a barren funeral parlor with the open casket being the focal point in the room.  There weren't stands of gorgeous flowers that the tongue-tied guests could comment upon, thus taking the awkwardness of what to say to the grieving family out of the..."Oh no, what do I say..." equation.
     Yesterday the funeral home was filled with flowers, indeed a wonderful tribute to a  man who had touched so many lives.  As family members came forward with their memories and lovely words of remembrance, the wall of flowers became the backdrop adding color to their heartfelt stories.  It was then that I realized that through my hard work and Mother Nature with God's guidance, the flowers were bringing comfort to everyone there in their time or such deep, deep sorrow.