Lisianthus

A few years ago, I started getting interested in the concept of voluntary simplicity. Voluntary simplicity has some Christian undertones, overtones, or overlap, shall we say. I'm not into that aspect of it, but I am very into the idea of living better with less, having less clutter, less stuff, and enjoying life more.

When I started planning my living space, my lifestyle and my budget, one of the things I decided I wanted was flowers. Before making that decision, I would buy flowers for special occasions and parties, and loved them so much; how they smell, how they make a space look so beautiful and fresh. And I decided I want to have fresh cut flowers in my space, if not all the time, at least most of the time. I decided that flowers wouldn't be a special treat, they would be part of the regular upkeep of my home, like buying paper towels and dishsoap and salad greens.

Some people say, "What an extravagance!" or, "Well, maybe you can afford that, but we can't."

It's amazing what you can afford when it's important to you and you make it a priority. It's amazing how much money people spend on "Venti Frappuccinos" every day, on cable TV, on cheap, sweatshop-made clothing that is practically disposable... but not on flowers, or healthy organic food, or the occasional live theater experience.

Lisianthus has no fragrance, it's sturdy, and it's lovely. The stems are long and elegant, and if you buy it when the blooms are still tight, you will be able to enjoy the flowers for several days. When I bought these last Sunday, a few were open, but most were either closed or just opening. Lisianthus comes in many colors, but the ones I chose were purple, white, and white-with-purple edges. I put five stems into a tall, simple vase on my dining table.