Beauty in the natural world can be a lovely metaphor for beauty in our relationships. I'm in a Friday kind of mood, so thought I'd share how orchids remind me daily of two people I love deeply.
I moved to Johannesburg from Montreal nearly 20 years ago, leaving many friends behind – but in particular, my bosom budette, my soul sister, she whose daughter I call ma nièce and love as if she were my own daughter (so in Africa I would just call her my daughter and have done with it, but let’s not split hairs – this post is about orchids and friendship, not Western vs African customs). We have one of those distance proof relationships that American movies try to depict and fail because there’s no way they can capture the nuance and intimacy of that kind of friendship, based on relationships and careers lived and survived, reunions celebrated and Skype calls hoarded, cutting the distance to mere geography.
A few years ago, my dear friend, who I shall not name as she is the archetypal anti-social media maven, sent me an orchid for my birthday. All the way from Montreal to Johannesburg. A phalaenopsis. (Of course the orchid came from Johannesburg – I know. But its idea was conceived in Montreal.)
I confess to having inadvertently and guiltily killed many a phalaenopsis in my time, but somehow this one - which I’ve given my friend’s name - has survived Joburg’s seasonal changes, a major move across town and years of separation in our human friendship, which I’m assured would kill most orchids.
A couple of years later, her daughter (ma nièce) gave me a smaller varietal to go along with the more mature plant,
so now I have a mother and daughter on the windowsill.
How well do orchids represent friendship and love? My thoughts for a Friday - they produce so many ineffably beautiful blossoms, each unique and yet grown from the same plant. They flower over and over, even after dry spells where you think there’s no flowering left. They thrive in the sun, yet they can survive long dry spells if necessary.
Look how happy the mother orchid is.
And these two plants achieve the impossible by making the distance between Johannesburg and Montreal, 12,913km, seem like nothing.
Happy Friday, Steemians! May you have much love and friendship in your lives.
Wow this is a lovely present ~
it's was very pleasure to hear your beautiful story @Kiligirl i also would love to wake up and see a beautiful flowers and sunrise every morning^^
please follow me at @giigii and i will follow you back
Wow, those are great gifts! I love flowers and the beauty they bring to the environment. It's great that they survived that long trip! Happy Friday :)
Well, I'm pretty sure they didn't come all they way from Montreal. But the thought did! :-) Happy Friday back.
really beautiful orchids :)
Thank you for sharing ;)
Beautiful. I have one of these that we received when my son turned two as a gift. He'll be turning six in July. Ours is more white in the pedals with the spotted pink color. Really koool and not hard to maintain. Enjoyed.
Awww....soo lovely...cute mother and daughter...sitting calm and relaxed on your window...nice view...beautiful flowers...keep it up @kiligirl
Your story is heart warming and your pictures are breathtaking. I will keep watching as you post beautiful words like these. Good Day to you kiligirl!
Thank you, @jamie-smith! 🤗
That is great, recieving a flower gift from a love one is a thing of joy and it provock emotion. It make you feel that your cared for. I love flower so much. Keep on doing that which your best at. Upvoted
What wonderful sharing and gorgeous flowers.
Thank you, @wandrnrose7! 🤗
❤ pleasure is mine
Pleasure 💕
A friendship that survives that is extremely rare today! Followed.
Thanks! Mostly it's because we get each other 🤗 and have made our peace with distance and time zones.
This is some great photos and amazing insight!
Thank you, @themessup! :-) Kind of you to say so.
Great post and I enjoyed these pictures!
Thank you, @firepower 🤗
Pretty much i like flowers.
Thank you for sharing.❤❤❤
Well plan and created happy Friday to you
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😂😎
Very nice
Beautiful photos! Really nice work.
Thank you, @natashahall!
This is So Beautiful! I love The Colour of the Flowers! Its Good they Arrived Safely...please take Good Care of Them.I definitely Followed You! I want more these posts!
Thank you, @lisasblog! The good news is I'm sure they didn't really travel that far - my friend ordered the mom orchid and I'm sure they delivered it from a local supplier. And ma niece lived in Johannesburg when she gave me her present. It's a metaphor for connectedness with close friends who are far apart :-).
nice Post, im new here. could somebody follow my Storys @nelke2010
This is a beautiful post. I am a fellow South African. I am following you. I do a blog on Love and marriage almost daily if you would like to follow me @hope777
Thank you for the kind words, @hope777.