Why Flowers Matter in a Fast World
The world we live in is optimized for efficiency. How fast can tasks get done, how quickly I can capture an audiences attention with a six second reel, faster results. Flowers do not follow these rules.
They grow slowly, requiring nurturing, blooming on their own timeline.
It is for this reason why they matter.
Flowers remind us to stay present in the current moment. Anchoring us to a moment in time, what happens next does not yet exist. They are a fully sensory experience, the antithesis of the transactional culture in which we live.
In a culture where convenience has replaced meaning, choosing flowers for yourself or another is a deliberate act against this. You send a message that this person is worth pausing for. Worth caring for in this very moment in time. Flowers hold space for grief, celebrate joy, and communicate an expression of love.
In a study regarding flowers and their colors impacting humans physiologically and psychologically, researchers have found that humans when exposed to nature have numerous benefits, such as stress reduction, happiness, and even surgery recovery (Xie, J). The reason for this is because humans are biophilic, a fancy word describing our biological preference for interacting in nature.
The world we live in is spent mostly indoors, looking at screens these days. Flowers serve us in ways that are essential to our overall wellbeing and happiness.
Additionally, the symbolism for flowers holds cultural significance dating back to ancient times. Flowers played essential roles in religious ceremonies for the Egyptians, associated with specific Greek courtship rituals, and used in the Roman’s public celebrations. (Diffenbaugh, V).
This holds true for us in the modern day.
In a fast-paced world, stopping to smell the roses is an integral part of who we are as human beings. To elevate spaces, celebrate life, and cultivate communities.
Sources:
Xie J, Liu B, Elsadek M. How Can Flowers and Their Colors Promote Individuals' Physiological and Psychological States during the COVID-19 Lockdown? Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Sep 29;18(19):10258. doi: 10.3390/ijerph181910258. PMID: 34639557; PMCID: PMC8507779.
Diffenbaugh, Vanessa. The Language of Flowers: A Novel. Ballantine Books, 2011
