The Pampered Introvert

Valentine’s Day! Such a special day. It is the time the florist phone is ringing , right up to closing. Extended hours could go to 11:59 pm and there will be the one who just needs a few rose petals to layer the bath by midnight. It is a fun celebration and love is in the air. The many ways we love someone gives us ideas to be unique in how we really show it. I have seen tickets to concerts, spa gift cards, weekend getaways and yes, it is the best time to ask, will you marry me. What always accompanies the special idea is  flowers . I enjoy creating floral designs for sweethearts. It is much like a wedding. A young man comes in to order flowers for a new girlfriend. He tells how special she is, her beauty, her smile,and her love . You know as a designer your design reflects his love. You personalized it  with her in mind. Moments later, you look up and an older gentleman is ordering his flowers. He has been with his wife who he calls his sweetheart for fifty years. He talks of her smile, her beauty and her love for him. And you know his love must shine through the design. You personalized it with his love for her in your thoughts. A favorite story I must share happened 15 years ago. I was busy working on arrangements . I finished most of my orders and one of the coworkers gave me a message. A customer had requested for me to design an arrangement for his wife. He didn’t care about the cost. He said she was the puzzle piece he had looked for. He felt like the day he meet her he had come home. I asked , what is her age, how long have they been married, what are her favorite colors and flowers. He hadn’t given that information and he hadn’t left a number to call back. He just said he would pick them up at five. I was nervous. He had said the cost wasn’t an issue. I started creating and then hesitated, wishing, I knew more about this lady. I took a deep breath and thought, what would I want for Valentines flowers. I started again and thought of my husband, and created the design of my dreams. Finished, it sat on the case all afternoon. Customers ooh and aah for it. Five o clock and we are closing and still no man shows to pick up the arrangement. I’m worried. I know it is closing time. It had been a very long day and yet, I couldn’t leave without delivering this arrangement. I called my husband and told him I would be late. He said, I’ll come down and wait with you and later we can celebrate with dinner. Thirty minutes later, still no customer pickup. I opened the shop door to my husband and he said Happy Valentine’s Day Sweetheart. And he smiled with his eyes. And then I realized the man who made the call had been my husband.