Flower Shops.

There is a shop on Nantucket Island called FLOWERS. It is one of my favorite little places to visit when I am there. As soon as you approach the first step up to the door, the house seems to say, "Come and stay here for a little while." And when you walk inside, that is exactly what you want to do.

The shop has beautiful cards and stationery and books. It has shelves filled with glass vases and candlesticks and baskets. There are tables full of lamps and frames and pillows. Everything is so beautiful, but what makes you want to linger, is how fresh and clean and fragrant the air smells around you. Half of the first floor is filled from floor to ceiling with containers of fresh flowers, just waiting to be arranged. It is a treat to be there.

Last Thursday morning, I was on a hunt for Gerber daisies for a wedding luncheon. I walked into a flower shop that could have been located in Anytown, USA. The store was nice and cool. The side wall was lined with glass door refrigerators. There were carousel stands of cards, helium balloons, and rows of green fern baskets. But that store had the same fresh, clean, fragrant air and I didn't want to leave.

I looked at all of the arrangements ready made on the shelves behind the glass doors, stared at the sayings on the floating balloons, and thought about all the different places these flowers might go ...

Maybe to a hospital to wish someone well, or welcome a new little baby into the world.

They might carry wishes of a Happy Anniversary, or a Job Well Done.

Maybe they're to say I'm sorry, or I wish you were here.

They might be bought to celebrate a birthday, or a wedding ... or cut as a corsage for the prom.

I stood by the counter as the girl told me they didn't have anymore Gerber daisies, and as I thumbed through the little gift cards on the counter, I thought of who I might give them to, and bought three ... I said thank you, and was glad that I was able to stop in that day for a little while.

You know, giving the gift of flowers is a universal nice gesture. Even if you buy just one, and then hand it to someone ... you will watch them smile.