I love flowers. They are beautiful. They are transitory. You usually can’t eat them and they really have no practical purpose. They brighten a room.

The moment flowers are given to you is always special. The moment you buy your own flowers is a personal reward—a reminder that sometimes it’s okay to just enjoy some color without reason. Giving flowers is like giving someone food…expressing caring without giving them another material burden they’re expected to make room for in their home. Some complain that flowers, because of their short lives and lack of function, are pointless. I disagree.

I’ve found that the best things in life—passing time with family and friends, a hug, a kiss, solving an annoying problem that’s been nagging you, uncovering what is ailing a patient, baking the perfect cake, enjoying a mountaintop view, for example—are all short-lived. There’s something in the requirement to be present or you’ll miss it, to live the moment and know you’ll never get it back, that makes these things special. Flowers make you pause and be there with them for a short time. They require that you make time, even only moments, to see, smell, and feel them. They let you feel appreciation, love, and gratitude for just a fleeting moment. A fleeting moment is better than no moment. In fact, life is made up of fleeting moments. Why not let them include flowers?