July 29th's Birth Flower 'Dahlia' — A Bouquet Delivered at the End of Summer —
The moment I opened the front door, there was a scent that felt slightly nostalgic.
The scent of sun-warmed roads, unique to a summer evening, and the sound of cicadas chirping from somewhere far away.
I took off my shoes and turned on the room lights, just as I always do.
The room I returned to after work was exactly the same as when I left in the morning. A book left half-read on the table, leftovers in the fridge, and the small houseplant I bought last week by the window.
Days that never change. There were times when that felt a little lonely, and times when it felt comforting.
Since I passed my late forties, I feel like the flow of time has sped up a little. It feels like it was spring just yesterday, but before I knew it, it was summer. And summer, too, had already passed its halfway point.
One day, when I returned home, a small box was placed in front of the entrance.
When I looked at the sender, it was the name of a friend from my student days. It had been several years since we last spoke.
Feeling a little surprised, I opened the box to find a single flower inside.
A vibrant red dahlia. And a short message card.
'Happy birthday. I remembered the flower we saw together a long time ago.'
I stared at the words for a while.
Birthday. Come to think of it, today was my birthday. In the busyness of life, I had completely forgotten.
Looking at the dahlia, memories from the past strangely came flooding back.
A small botanical garden I visited with a friend when I was a student. The large dahlia flower I saw there for the first time.
'I didn't know a flower like this really existed.'
I remember saying that and laughing.
Back then, I could get absorbed in anything. I didn't think as deeply about the future or my job as I do now. I was just enjoying every day.
However, as I became an adult, I found myself thinking only about 'not failing.' Protecting what I have rather than starting something new. Giving up from the start rather than expecting anything from anyone. At some point, that way of thinking had become a part of me.
The next day, on my day off, I headed to a flower shop for the first time in a while.
There was no special reason. I just wanted to see a dahlia up close again.
Flowers of all colors were lined up at the storefront. White, yellow, red, purple. Even though they were the same flower, each had a different expression.
'Dahlias are beautiful, aren't they?'
The shop clerk spoke to me.
'Yes. I remembered that I've liked them for a long time.'
'There are flowers that remind us of things, aren't there?'
For some reason, those words stayed with me.
Even though flowers are just blooming, they bring back memories of the past and the time spent with someone.
When I got home, I displayed the dahlia in the center of the room. Instead of placing it by the window as I usually would, today I put it in the most visible spot. It might be a bit dramatic. But I thought it was okay to do something for myself once in a while.
A few days later, I called my friend.
'Long time no see.'
The voice from the other end of the line hadn't changed from the old days.
'Thanks for the flower.'
'Did it arrive? I just suddenly felt like sending it.'
'Why was it a dahlia?'
There was a short pause, and my friend laughed.
'You were always quiet, but you had a strong core, didn't you?'
'That's the first time anyone has ever told me that.'
'They say a dahlia is a flower that is glamorous, but still has its own presence.'
I looked at the dahlia I had displayed in the room.
Indeed, this flower is not quiet. It spreads its petals wide, and just by being there, it changes the space. But it is never overbearing. It is simply blooming in its own way.
After hanging up the phone, I opened the window for the first time in a while.
The summer breeze entered the room, and the curtains swayed. Perhaps the days I thought would never change are actually changing little by little.
A single flower delivered by someone. Forgotten memories. A conversation after a long time.
They aren't major events. But I think the things that make life a little brighter are, unexpectedly, those small things.
I look at the dahlia on the table. Its appearance seemed to say, 'The best is yet to come.'
A summer twilight. For the first time in a while, I felt a little bit of excitement for my own future.
Afterword
For the birth flower of July 29th, I chose the 'dahlia' this time.
Dahlia flower language
'Magnificence'
'Elegance'
'Gratitude'
Because dahlias bloom into large, beautiful flowers, they have long been loved as flowers with a strong presence. On the other hand, their impression changes significantly depending on the color and variety, and they possess a delicate expression amidst their splendor.
In this story, I depicted the word 'magnificence' not just as outward appearance, but as the way of living true to oneself.
Dreams forgotten along the path of life, or connections with people we have drifted away from. Sometimes, we remember such things by chance. A single flower can gently illuminate someone's memories or future. I would be happy if you enjoyed this as a summer story.
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