I love flowers, and I can’t even express how I love swimming in their beauty at our farm in midsummer. We’re right in the middle of finishing field prep and preparing to plant our fields, planning our biggest flower splash ever…. and suddenly we’re rethinking what we should grow. How much of it? How much can or should we mechanize? How will we afford our crew all summer if flowers don’t sell? Will anyone want dahlia tubers next fall if our economy collapses? Should we grow more food instead of flowers to better help our neighbors? I know many of you are facing similarly rattling, earth-shaking questions about your small businesses and family projects. There are no easy answers right now. No one on earth knows what is going to happen. 

What are YOU struggling with right now? 

I spent some time with my kids this week just talking about the losses they’ve experienced over these few weeks of quarantine. I asked them to name what they’ve had to unexpectedly give up over these two weeks. (Actually three weeks already for one of them, five for the other since our family had whooping cough of all things right before the covid-19 quarantine!) They weren’t whining and complaining, just acknowledging that there have been (and will be) disappointments and grief. Their losses might seem small to adults or those suffering with illness or unemployment, but the things they’re missing are still real to them. We spent time afterwards putting our losses in perspective with the world situation, and naming things we are thankful for, but I believe taking time to affirm that their sadness is valid and important helps them remember that I care about what’s important to them! It helps them to express their feelings; it helps their young minds to even understand what they are thinking and feeling. 

Do you have someone to process through what you’re missing in these difficult days? Of course being thankful is essential, but it’s good to talk about the losses, too. If you’d like, share in the comments here what you’re afraid of, or what you’ve lost. I would love to know where you are, flower friends. It’s true that we’re all in this together, and I am here for you in my small way today.