There is an etiquette to sending flowers. Which do you give someone on their birthday? Which do you chose for a funeral? Which do you take to a friend in hospital? Which do you send as an apology, when one has been late, when one has spoken out of turn, or one has carelessly overtrumped one’s partner?
My aunt taught me, when I was 21, that it’s a good idea to send flowers in advance of a dinner party, so the hosts have a chance to put them in a vase and display them. It’s more thoughtful than turning up with supermarket flowers on the night that simply end up in the kitchen sink.
I wonder if we always think so carefully about the words we choose? Or the way we say them?
Maybe we should think of our words as flowers and give them more thought before we say them. And then, when we do say them, we make sure we always give them kindly.
