Blooming Flowers 6th Favorite Post of 2013

Life is an journey.  It’s a journey we begin and end alone,  but in between those book ends we share our lives with many people.

Why don’t we spend time with the people we love while we have it to spend? We should tell them we love them while they are still here to hear it? Why do we wait until their spirit is gone and their body is stiff before we tell the people we love they matter?

Don’t wait until you are standing in a graveyard looking at a tombstone weeping and pledging your undying love to someone to say how you feel.  What’s the point when they can no longer can hear or appreciate it? Funerals full of floral bouquets are nice. But who are they really for? Not the person in the casket. They can’t smell, see or appreciate the fussy bouquets.

Give me my flowers while I am here to appreciate them. There is no need to make a florists rich after my death.  At the time of my death in lieu of flowers donate to  someone’s college education, cancer research,  domestic violence prevention, or diabetes research, PTSD care and research Placement Partners, or any Veteran’s organization.  Let me say and show you I love you  while it still matters. Living with the regret of flowers not given or received in this lifetime is rough.

Don’t Turn Into Sara Jane at the Funeral

When I leave this Earth I don’t want some big grand Imitation of Life funeral, or as the African-American community says a big “home going celebration.” Give me my flowers today. Don’t wait until I leave this Earth and have a Sarah Jane moment.  Hollering and screaming weeping and yelling acting like you want to go on to glory with me. I don’t want to see one fool shouting Lord take me.

Y’all know I don’t  have good sense. I may sit up and say well Lord if they feel that strongly about it I wouldn’t mind staying here on Earth a little longer if they want to take my place.  You know I’d be hot as black pepper,  if I have had myself cremated and you come in with this offer and I’m already ashes and dust.  I may even sit up and call you out. You know I’d be the corpse going girl shut up you know I didn’t like you and you didn’t like me. Stop all this nonsense and go sit down so I can finish resting in peace.

My point is there is no need for a Meryl Streep moment if you give people their flowers while they are still here to receive them. Life is a lot shorter than any of us think.  I keep thinking of the 18 month old baby who was killed in New Orleans a month ago. Of course no one thought they had such a short time to  give her flowers.  I guess that’s my whole point. You never know  so  I’m giving my flowers to the people that matter to me now, today while they and I are still around to appreciate them.

Living without the regret of things left unsaid

While I’m giving out flowers today let me say how grateful, thankful and blessed and I am to have these people in my life.  I hope you can still love and forgive me for actions I have made that hurt you. At the end of day we are still family and nothing is stronger than family.

Some of you are reading this looking at the screen all crazy thinking did she just say that? Yes, I did and don’t act like it’s not a few branches on your family tree you wouldn’t prune if you  could. But we can’t, so make peace with them, love them for who they are, and move on LIVING your life.  You can’t control who your family is, or what they do, but you can control whether or not you let the pain control you or whether or not you let it go.  So, let it go and give them their flowers while they are still alive to see it.

Don’t wait until it’s too late to give someone the news that they matter to you.  I guess my mother in law knew that I loved her. Who knew we didn’t have forever to get around to such nonsense. I didn’t. Now I’ll never get that chance. I’d love to sit here and mention each and every person by name but I come from 2 large families and I have friends I need to give flowers to also.

When all is said and done don’t weep for me, or waste money on flowers. .  Give me my flowers while I’m still here. Or in my brother’s case send me my graham crackers and juice now.  ( Jamaal you know I’m just making a point. Please don’t send any graham crackers or juice to me, unless the juice has been fermented in an oak bottle and comes in a purple bag)” I’m giving mine out today. Who needs flowers after you go on to Glory?

Peace, Love and Eternal Blessings

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