I love flowers. They are beautiful, timeless and something I wish I could just whip out of my back pocket at any given moment.
More than I love flowers, I love the women who made me. They are the most fundamental humans in my life. Just as a bouquet of amazing flowers, they are beautiful, timeless and all the other incredible adjectives pertaining to such a beautiful aspect of nature. But different from flowers, I feel as though they are always in my back pocket, and sure I can’t just dig in there and pull them out, but I always carry them with me. Pulling them out of my back pocket can be me reaching for my phone to call them, finding an object leftover from my time with them I forgot about and so on.
In honor of this article being published on International National Women’s day, I am writing about my favorite women who compose this beautiful bouquet and are extremely similar to very specific flowers.
My mom
My mother is the strongest woman I know. I have this fierce admiration of her, that I will have forever, especially as I enter my journey into motherhood.
My mom is a rose, which also happens to be one of her favorite flowers. Roses come in an array of colors, but I see her as a dusty pink one, the kind you’d see on a tables centerpiece and wish you could take with you, the kind that you look at and say “that is such a beautiful rose” every single time.
Pink roses symbolize elegance, gratitude and sweetness. I watch my mom go through many areas of life, but handling them with such grace. She served our country in the Navy for 10 years, had 4 kids, has gone through great hardships, but never fails to let her badass spirit show. I know it’s hard to be always positive with some of the things she endures, but I never let that distract me from the fact that she still persists, carrying herself in such a boss manner. I thrive on her texts expressing her pride, and sharing gratitude for me and my family in her own unique ways. She and I share many sweet moments as we gush over Taylor Swift or send cute Tik Tok’s of dogs and cats back and forth.
The rose is actually the national flower of the United States, as of 1986, which I think is so fitting especially since my mom served our country and to me symbolizes a great importance in my life. Sure, I am not the United States, but in Audney Country, she’s still the national flower.
My mom keeps roses all over our house, in the front and backyards. She takes such great care of them and finds pride in the beauty she gets to produce through her hard work outside. Every time I see a rose, I am reminded of my mom. To be honest, she is the reason I fell in love with flowers in the first place.
Addy
My younger sister, one of my best friends and the top of my recently FaceTimed list, is such a beautiful spirit.
She would most definitely be a gorgeous purple dahlia, which is actually her favorite flower, just as my mom’s is the rose. Purple is her favorite color and a color I feel she embodies well.
Purple dahlias symbolize grace, beauty, dignity and kindness. I find Addy to be such a beautiful human being, with such a creative mind and such grace for only being 17-years-old. She always looks so beautiful, being wildly talented at hair and always wearing the cutest of outfits. She is kind-hearted in a way that makes her so considerate of others. I’ve seen this in how she frequently lets me borrow an outfit when I feel mine isn’t fitting the moment, learning more about my interests or partaking in them with me, playing my favorite music to lure me into her room to hangout, and much more. I work at a farmers market and I always make sure I set my eyes on the most perfect purple Dahlia to bring home to her when we do our yearly planting.
A fun fact about dahlias is that they are attractive to pollinators such as bees, butterflies, humming birds and so on, not because of their scent like most flowers, but because of their bright colors and beautiful look. Addy is the kind of person you can look at and feel drawn to, she doesn’t need anything else to help her out (although she does have many great qualities).
Way back in the Victorian Era, these flowers stood as a symbol of commitment and an everlasting loyalty. She and I share an unspoken understanding, that even despite our petty fights and disagreements, we will always be there for each other. I know as her older sister, I try my best to play this sort of protector role, but she doesn’t know how much she truly looks out for me.
Kenzie
Kenzie is my older sister, and definitely someone I look up to in life. A world traveler, the fun-loving spirit we all need in our lives, and the type of person who always brings adventure into the mundane things of life.
I feel as though she is a sunflower, which is a symbol of ambition, healing, opportunity and happiness. They are bright and a staple of most Pinterest boards and pristine countertops. She’s always faced this world with an ambition to truly live, in such a meaningful way. I’ve watched her shine in Germany, Italy, Australia, and numerous states, following the adventure wherever it brings her. Not only is she healing from the things that have hurt her, but she helps me in healing as well, with her sound advice and the experience she has gained. Sunflowers actually contain healing properties, which makes this even more perfect. When I see a field of sunflowers, I am reminded of the joy that life can give you, and feel the same way as I watch her adventures unfold.
A sunflower isn’t just one big yellow flower, but are full of thousands of flowers, with their heads being made of smaller flowers, and the abundance of seeds in the middle. I like this because sunflowers are often seen as a very basic flower, but there is so much more to them. This isn’t to say Kenzie is basic, because she is far from that, but to say that there is so much about her that makes her who she is, more than what you see on the outside or think you know about her. I love this about her.
They make a floral piece bright and fun, just like she adds this to our sister dynamic.
Jamie
Jamie is my aunt, who is actually the same age as my older sister, and is literally one of my best friends. Not every day can someone say “My aunt is my bestie”, but I’m glad I can.
To me, she is definitely a pink tulip, because yes she is just that cute and wholesome, but for many more reasons. Pink tulips symbolize passion, caring, affection, and good wishes. Jamie is such a huge supporter of anyone she meets, and brings an element of kindness to every situation, even the worst. She is passionate about her friends, her interests, her family and dozens of other things. It is truly beautiful seeing the care she puts into everything, whether it be something seemingly simple like baking a cake, or extra meaningful like providing the most fun experiences for me and my sisters to enjoy with her. She is always supporting you, wishing you the best, and reminding you of the simplest but best things in life. I actually adore everything about her.
Even after you cut a tulip, they continue to grow. Whenever Jamie has been faced with adversity, she never fails to show how she blossoms into a more incredible person every day. I know things aren’t always easy, but I also know she will always come back stronger than ever, shining just a tulip does in the sun.
Even within the confines of a vase, tulips will twist and bend and make every last effort to face the sun (and will succeed). Jamie is the kind of person who will find the light in a dark situation, and can always frame my problems into a way that helps me see the optimism of it all. She turns to her favorite things, Noah Kahan, cute dogs, baking, watching a good (or even bad) movie with us, weeknight streamings of Jeopardy, and so on and really finds the good in life.
AbsoTULIPly amazing person.
Conclusion
I wouldn’t be anywhere without these women, and wish I had the funds to send them all these precious flowers for International National Women’s Day.
Just like I treasure flowers, and this personal bouquet I’ve just formed, treasure the women in your life!