Bouquets or buckets

I used to give my wife flowers quite regularly when we were first married.

On one occasion the florist asked me as I was paying for the flowers, 'what sort of flowers are these?' As a florist I immediately thought he had little future... Then he said 'anniversary or forgiveness?' 

I rarely give my wife flowers nowadays - I've discovered that really she's not that keen! She would prefer a packet of seed or a new trowel. For Catherine the joy is in the journey not the destination. The planting, tending and observing, and then enjoying the beauty of the blooms.

As our relationship has gone on I have taken my role much more seriously than in the early days - I now make sure that if she is really busy I do some of the things she would normally do, or if she needs space I try to not ask 'what's the matter?', or as is needful I get a bucket of water and clean the windows so that she can enjoy the fruit of her labour even better but from the comfort of our home.

If today's task is about appreciating the life of someone else flowers may not be the best way of expressing yourself, words, a few chocolates, a poem, even a link to an appropriate YouTube clip may be the thing that says 'you are appreciated - your life matters'.