Learn from the Flowers
Not many people know this, but I was once employed to sell flowers by a company named Kendal. If you don't know: they're an independent vendor operating in Costco warehouses. I was hired for temporary assignments in 2014 - Valentine's and Mother's Day, being the biggest "holiday" weekends to promote floral sales. I remember it being hellish for me. People tore through everything; I thought, are we that destructive? Plants were ruined, but nearly all of their stock sold out and that's what mattered to the company.
Being the new hire, I didn't receive any special instructions outside of showing up and helping my supervisor. Unlike my coworkers, I didn't receive an apron to keep my clothes clean. I wasn't told how to handle thorns and always ended up getting pricked. I remember being extremely frustrated and hushed my thoughts and opinions most of the time that I worked with them. It was experience gained, but it ultimately left me unsatisfied. I didn't have any sense of belonging with those people and decided it wasn't worth continuing.
. . .
I haven't spent much time thinking about floral arrangements since the end of my employment with Kendal. I mean, I remember receiving flowers only once in my life and they came from my Mother. She brought a bouquet of roses to my graduation ceremony from the Pharmacy Technician program - I never felt so honored by her. I know people place great sentimental value on flowers, even I like the way that they look, but I've never thought so much about plants beyond their aesthetic value.
"What's the point of buying flowers if they're just going to die?" I got an idea of bathing in rose petals after seeing its romanticized portrayal in film; most notably, American Beauty. I didn't think Kai would be interested in recreating it, because of his ideas on bouquets (quoted above). I always thought bathing with flowers is one of those special-occasion luxuries that people practice with aromatherapy. While it's convenient to just use floral oils, the presence of petals adds atmosphere and the sensation of touch.
Remember when you were younger, some of the kids would play with flowers in the yard. Their day dreams were made of, "They love me, They love me not." I'm sure adults would scold those children if they caught anyone deflowering a garden. It's not intentionally harmful, rather, it's meant to be playful and done in admiration or mindless awe. These are innocent fantasies we're talking about. I remember pulling on the grass. I wasn't thinking of anyone special, but I liked the way plants felt in my hands.
There's no sensation as unique as fondling flowers at your fingertips. The combination of texture and touch, the color and scent attached to something so fresh. I don't encourage petal plucking, but I do remove thorns to protect myself - Sorry, I'm not Sorry, but that's the way it is. Don't get me wrong, I like the way flowers look and smell, but there are times when I'm pricked and suddenly, they're not meant to be touched anymore - Simply Admired.
Like the lyric in Disney's Alice in Wonderland, "You can learn a lot of things from the flowers, for especially in the month of June. There's a wealth of happiness and romance, all in the Golden Afternoon."
- - - - -
References:
http://puremystery.livejournal.com/140951.html - PMS @ KMS
http://puremystery.livejournal.com/148326.html - Tough Cookie
https://www.instagram.com/p/BOppUQbj5bB/ - "Flower Power" @ Descanso Gardens
https://www.instagram.com/p/BOpp3M8jG7X/ - Photo by kaiography @ Descanso Gardens
Being the new hire, I didn't receive any special instructions outside of showing up and helping my supervisor. Unlike my coworkers, I didn't receive an apron to keep my clothes clean. I wasn't told how to handle thorns and always ended up getting pricked. I remember being extremely frustrated and hushed my thoughts and opinions most of the time that I worked with them. It was experience gained, but it ultimately left me unsatisfied. I didn't have any sense of belonging with those people and decided it wasn't worth continuing.
. . .
I haven't spent much time thinking about floral arrangements since the end of my employment with Kendal. I mean, I remember receiving flowers only once in my life and they came from my Mother. She brought a bouquet of roses to my graduation ceremony from the Pharmacy Technician program - I never felt so honored by her. I know people place great sentimental value on flowers, even I like the way that they look, but I've never thought so much about plants beyond their aesthetic value.
"What's the point of buying flowers if they're just going to die?" I got an idea of bathing in rose petals after seeing its romanticized portrayal in film; most notably, American Beauty. I didn't think Kai would be interested in recreating it, because of his ideas on bouquets (quoted above). I always thought bathing with flowers is one of those special-occasion luxuries that people practice with aromatherapy. While it's convenient to just use floral oils, the presence of petals adds atmosphere and the sensation of touch.
Remember when you were younger, some of the kids would play with flowers in the yard. Their day dreams were made of, "They love me, They love me not." I'm sure adults would scold those children if they caught anyone deflowering a garden. It's not intentionally harmful, rather, it's meant to be playful and done in admiration or mindless awe. These are innocent fantasies we're talking about. I remember pulling on the grass. I wasn't thinking of anyone special, but I liked the way plants felt in my hands.
There's no sensation as unique as fondling flowers at your fingertips. The combination of texture and touch, the color and scent attached to something so fresh. I don't encourage petal plucking, but I do remove thorns to protect myself - Sorry, I'm not Sorry, but that's the way it is. Don't get me wrong, I like the way flowers look and smell, but there are times when I'm pricked and suddenly, they're not meant to be touched anymore - Simply Admired.
Like the lyric in Disney's Alice in Wonderland, "You can learn a lot of things from the flowers, for especially in the month of June. There's a wealth of happiness and romance, all in the Golden Afternoon."
- - - - -
References:
http://puremystery.livejournal.com/140951.html - PMS @ KMS
http://puremystery.livejournal.com/148326.html - Tough Cookie
https://www.instagram.com/p/BOppUQbj5bB/ - "Flower Power" @ Descanso Gardens
https://www.instagram.com/p/BOpp3M8jG7X/ - Photo by kaiography @ Descanso Gardens