A Token of Love

My husband and I have been blissfully married for 27 years. I don't take this fact for granted for one second of any day. Last night we did some shopping and in a blink of an eye, there were flowers in my shopping cart. My love had put them there. Red carnations. I can hardly remember a weeks time when there are not fresh flowers on my table, thanks to my husband. We actually budget for them. $ 130 per year. Early on in our marriage he would bring me roses, and yes I do love them but in all honesty I love the humble carnation better. They last so long and the color rage is amazing. I still get roses on any special occasion. During the growing season we have old English roses, or tea roses on each table in the house, thanks to our rose garden. Scenting the house with delightful fragrance. In time he learned of my love of carnations and so that is what I get much of the time.
Its a token of his love for me. A simple gift to show his love. He also still writes me love notes and puts them on the pillow for me to see when I wake up. This is a good man to be sure !
My husband wanted the girls to know very early on, what a flower could mean. So when they were small, each Friday we would shop and each Friday we would stop at the florist and each girl could pick out one single carnation to put on their dresser in their room. The florist loved this and would put lots of baby's breath with it and help the girls pick out just the right ribbon to tie around their flower.
The carnation lasted a week for them. Little girls learning to love flowers. It was a token of love to them also. Daddy bought mommy flowers and daddy and mommy gave their girls flowers.
To this day the girls love to give and be given flowers.
Carnations cost about the price of a small Starbucks coffee, or the price of a bag of chips and a coke. I think most people waste that amount of money each week on some silly item that is gone quickly.
Today as I sat at the table eating my lunch, the flowers looked so pretty and cheery, and I will have them all week long, knowing they are a simple token of love.
Although we live very simply, we still enjoy the beauty of flowers on the table !