Practical Love

Men have it tough, I think. Anniversaries, birthdays or days like Valentine’s Day. Women, including me, expect flowers or some random gift. But a special day doesn’t get any ‘more’ special because your man got you flowers.

I realised this yesterday. I have been pestering him about flowers and a card since my birthday. Include a surprise cake to this as well. So since November, it has been my birthday, anniversary and now of course, the Valentine’s Day. Yesterday, however, he did surprise me; he got me a small bouquet of flowers. Pretty yellow Gerberas. I was delighted and suddenly it dawned on me that I was unnecessarily bugging him about flowers while I am not into them so much. I love yellow as it makes me happy. I hate red roses. I was more touched by the fact that he actually stopped to get me a bouquet in heavy traffic and he wasn’t well.

Yes, this is mushiest and the most romantic thing ever to me. And it instantly reminded me of Wendy Cope’s ‘Flowers’. Lovely poem and so romantic…in a practical way of course!

Flowers by Wendy Cope

Some men never think of it

You did. You'd come along

And say you'd nearly bought me flowers

But something had gone wrong.

The shop was closed. Or you had doubts-

The sort that mind like ours

Dream up incessantly. You thought

I might not want your flowers.

It made me smile and hug you then.

Now I can only smile.

But, look, the flowers you nearly bought

Have lasted all this while.