Other Flowers

The other day, I bought flowers.Lilies, roses, carnations,and a little baby’s breath.

They were beautiful.

I brought them homeand put the bouquet together.I placed it in the vaseI only use when I feel a little fancy.

I handled them with care, you know?I wanted them to last.

I set them on the table,somewhere I could see themevery morning.

But after a while,my lilies started to bloom,and my roses started to die.

I looked at them,and I didn’t want to throw them away.I thought,“There’s still a little beauty left.Maybe I can keep thema few more days.”

So I changed the water.I removed a few petals.I turned the vase a little,so I could see only the good side.

But we cannot bargain with time,and we cannot stop the cycle of life.So one petal after another,my roses said goodbye to me,as if doing it slowlywould prepare meto be broken gently.

I tend to be uptight.So even when they tried to tell me it was time,I still wanted to play the savior.Admitting I had to let them gofelt like betrayingall the mornings they had offered me their beauty.

And I think sometimes,we do the same thing with life.

We hold on to thingsbecause of how beautiful they were.Because of how they once made us feel.

We become so attachedto the way something used to bethat we stop paying attentionto what it’s becoming.

We try so hard to convince ourselvesto stay for the sake of the good old days.But what was good yesterdaycan turn bad today,like water left too long in a vase.

I think sometimes,letting go feels like being ungrateful.Like we’re betrayingwhat something once was.

So we stay.We keep trying.We give it a little more time.

And sometimes,we already know.

We just don’t want to acceptthat something can have been beautifuland still have come to an end.

Those flowers really were beautiful.I didn’t imagine that.

But keeping them longerwasn’t going to bring that beauty back.And throwing them awaywasn’t going to erasethe mornings I enjoyed them.

I could appreciatewhat they had given me.I could wishthey had lasted longer.And I could still let them go.

So I took the roses out.

And when I did,I could see the liliesthat were still blooming.

They had been openingwhile I was busywatching the roses die.

It made me wonderwhat I haven’t been noticingin my own life.

What’s growing.What’s changing.What’s still beautiful.

All because I’ve been trying so hardto keep everythingthe way it used to be.

I loved those roses.

But I had other flowersto take care of.