One of my favorite photos from college features my collegiate best friends and me in a bed of poppies that lined the highway leading to our campus. It was the last night of our freshmen year of college and we had driven 45 minutes to celebrate our year at the one TGIFriday’s in the city. On our way home, we saw the poppies, pulled over, picked huge bouquets, and took pictures in every configuration (all of us, roommate pairs, etc). Back in our dorm rooms, we tucked those poppies into tumblers of water, our celebration extended through the brightness of the flowers. Ever since that impulsive flower picking session, I’ve loved gathering flowers. 
A lot of times, we wait for someone else to give us flowers. And when we receive them, we feel so special that one of our beloveds (or a group of them) remembered us with something so beautiful. But why do we have to wait? Why does someone else have to gift us with the beauty of flowers? Why can’t we do it for ourselves?
The hydrangeas in our yard are beautiful right now but I also know that they are on their way out. This week, I am going to celebrate their last wash of color by cutting a few of them and bringing them indoors for us to enjoy, and I want you to do the same. Whether you gather your flowers in the yard, on the side of the highway, from the grocery store, at the florist’s, or at the farmer’s market, I want you to treat yourself to flowers this week. Bring yourself that gift of beauty. Because you deserve the beloved treatment from you.
