Giving thanks: Today, I’m thankful for flowers. All of them. Especially peonies, roses and hydrangeas. And hyacinths and lilacs and geraniums. Like I said, all of them. This mix is similar to what ended up on grandma’s table in the early summer every year. I remember she had a row of peonies all the way down the side of the house. Pink ones, of course, and deep crimson ones and white ones with just a blush of pink. For a long time, I told everybody I wanted to be cremated and sprinkled on that flower bed because the smell must be what heaven smells like. One thing about flowers, though, is they grow and bloom when they’re supposed to, they don’t plan for it or stress out if they’re late or don’t bloom at the exact time the others do. They just are so themselves. They just sit there and look beautiful and smell beautiful. They’re not in competition with the one next to them and I’m sure one peony never asked the other one if she looked fat in that color. Flowers are just what they are supposed to be and let people love them for what they are. Shouldn’t we act like flowers and love ourselves just like we are?