Who doesn’t enjoy flowers?

Ralph Waldo Emerson said “The world laughs in flowers”–and I believe him.

The other day I went shopping for some summer clothes. The weather outside this March is almost balmy and the long, hot summer is well on its way.

At the department store, there were some blouses with big floral designs on them. There were solid colors and stripes as well.

I bought one striped shirt in pale blue, light yellow and white and another in blues, purples, a little green and lavender in a big wildflower print. Other choices went to K-mart’s layaway department, layaway plans being  true godsends for those of us who cannot pay for or charge items all at once.

Then I decided to learn more about florals. I discovered flowers can be symbolic and really can say something. According to FTD.com and Withers Place Publications, the chrysanthemum, for instance, is considered a noble flower in China. A bright orange mum is speaks of the sun’s bright color and means “fascinated and enthused.”

But what about the wildflower blouse in shades of blue, violet, orchid, a little green and lavender? At Teleflora, I found that blue can mean calmness and peace.  Another site said violet may signify imagination and spirituality, while orchid is delicate and luxurious. The green leaves mean resilience and the gentle lavender speaks of grace.

Is it possible to live up to a blouse’s message?  Maybe we will all someday be as wonderful as those florals, speaking to God and each other in favorable tones and hues, always mindful of quiet meanings and the context of all living things.