The Incredible Flower

Flowers, like music, cast a unique spell over we humans.  It all springs from their ability to affect our emotions and alter the way in which we see the world around us. 

Think about it. Most of what we see in nature presents us with muted “earth tones.”  Fine as a color scheme for homes in a gated community (gotta love those HOAs), but to give nature a boost, God invented wildflowers, and man, over time, added his own assortment.  My Colorado trip last year showed me just how muted even the great Rocky Mountains can be, from afar.  Flowers are the cure for this want of vivid color.

Flowers celebrate with us the great moments in our lives. They help carry us through great personal loss, or midst laughter, they bring added meaning to our joy.  And in all other ways, on all other days, they simply bring us beauty, and ultimately a brighter glow to our countenance, as they add rainbows of color to our world.  They make us feel better, not only about ourselves, but about everything.  In a way, they are nature's anti depressant; they offer us hope.

But I think flowers have a hidden, more practical purpose, at least in this one instance. Flowers, I think, can influence our willingness to stop, shop, and buy things.  Seriously.

I visit Marshalls Plaza in DeWitt regularly, not only because Panera Bread keeps my oatmeal raisin cookies there for my almost daily pick up, but for another reason.  I love driving in the main entrance to this plaza. You see, the entrance to Marshalls Plaza has the very best display of flowers I have ever seen at any entrance of any strip mall…anytime, anywhere.

For about 100 yards, the curving road presents the visitor with a vista of color and beauty on all sides. You may have a furrow in your brow when you enter, but you will be smiling when you reach the end of that road.

I’ll drive in there just to see the beautiful and colorful assortment of flowers that give me a feeling of well being and, I dare say, a propensity to buy something….well, you know, as long as I’m there.  And that’s ok.  I don’t know if it’s an intended consequence of the management company or not, and I don’t care.  I just like to look at them, right before I pick up my cookies!

In case you don’t live close, or if you have never visited this plaza, here are some pictures that I know will make you feel better. Now, don’t you need a cookie?

Mark Twain Quote: “Nature knows no indecencies; man invents them.”