Boyfriend brought me flowers.
Obviously my first thought was: ’what has he done that was so bad he’d need to buy me flowers to incite forgiveness?’
Wait, wait, wait, if i’m going to be honest I should state my first thought was:
‘eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! pretty!!!!’
I confess, I am a shameless girly girly who loves flowers. It’s my belief that all girls love flowers. Even the cynical ones - who I used to be, I might add - who say that flowers are just another representation of how men see women (soft, vunerable, delicate, pretty things, who are fun to look at and throw away once they wither), secretly gush on the inside when bouquets are bestowed upon them.
I did suspect him though. Boyfriend is the kinda guy who turns up empty handed, scratching his head and smiling cheekily, stating “i was going to buy you flowers today but… i forgot!” (Which is so cute, it’s almost as good as actually giving me flowers).
Imagine my suprise as he walks into the restaurant to meet me with a bouquet of white roses. My suprise and my total SWOON.
I swooned all over the place. I was a total girl. Gushing and blushing and grinning, oh my. “Flowers? For me? You didn’t need to do that! They’re so pretty! *insert shamelessly girly ramble here*”
What is it about flowers that do this to a girl? Correction - a young woman. A graduate. A published journalist. An independent thinker. A financially independent being… all that jazz.
Someone who is relatively accomplished and ‘together’ turned to mush over a stem, some petals and some thorns.
Is it simply the fact that they’re pretty? The petals are smooth and soft, the buds are fragrant and delicate, even the stems are a remarkable shade of emerald green. This combination of textures, colours, scents… so alluring that it turns my once eloquent phrasing into word salad?
Or is it the theory behind the flower?
cite: Also known as the bridal rose, the white rose is a traditional wedding flower. In this sense, they are a representation of unity, virtue, and the pureness of a new bond of love. White roses are also a symbol for young love. They can convey feelings of love, friendship, respect and hope. Underlying all of these messages is the impression of innocence and purity with which white roses are now synonymous. (http://www.proflowers.com/flowerguide/rosemeanings_dir_whiterose-meanings.aspx)
Now, I may have studied semiotics in college, and can tell you all about symbols and their meanings - I probably could’ve guessed all that. But does your average Barbie or Britney see a flower and think to themselves ‘ah yes, the white stands for purity or virture due to its cleanliness in colour representing a lack of tainting from the world…’? I think not.
My theory right now? We associate things we receive as representations of our selves. Diploma for smart people, toys for kids, boring things for boring people, pretty things for pretty people…
I know most girls need to hear they’re pretty.
Boyfriend, thanks for inferring through flora. And, if you’re reading (and guys in general, take note): ignore protests, or the need for occasion - buy flowers for your pretty ladies today!
