Flowers for me from Holland America?? The Experience!

I grew up in a flower family business. I was literally - sleeping in flower boxes under the tables in the flower shop. I worked - as soon as I was old enough- being a runner on the delivery truck- I would ride along with the delivery man- and take the flowers up to the door. I learned early on- to smile- introduce myself- and read the name on the card- thank then- and make sure the flowers arrive safely- this job led to my second job- as delivery man for the flower shop- I did that for years... and it was one of my favorite jobs- because you actually get to see the joy- that flower provide.One thing that eluded me- was the feeling you get when the flower delivery person comes to your door- because I was that guy- and when you have a flower shop- people don't send you flowers- don't know why- but it's true... or when they do- you have to make it yourself and then you take it home- but rarely does the delivery van pull up outside your house- and walk flowers to your door... when you own a flower shop.Fast forward- to today... I'm sheltering at home- I'm putting my breakfast dishes in the dishwasher- looking out the window of my house- to see what's going on- and the FedEx truck pulls up to the end of the driveway... I've not ordered anything- and what could this be... did Kelly order something- is it something for the dogs.. or ???? The driver opens the side door and steps out with a 1/4 box of Flowers- I see the Holland America Logo on the side of the box...And for the first time- in a very very long time- I got that "feeling"- that "Flower Feeling" - the same one you might get- when you see flowers coming up the walk to your door... I run to the garage and open the door- he waves- and places them on the driveway- I thank him for delivering- and he thanks me for the business... Nice touch!I put on my gloves- and grab a cutters and open the box- right there...It's Cloudy today in Michigan- and about 54˚F... I'm so excited... truly. Again- I have to say that when I get flowers- I almost always know they are coming- because it's for a project, production, filming or something- but this... "feeling" of getting flowers- now I'm crying- because it's that close these days... I can cry at a drop of a hat... so this is normal... but still- So Excited- Happy Tears... Flowers for ME???I open the box- and inside are 4 Bunches of Tulips- Red, Orange, Pink and Purple... a bunch of Salal- (Really NICE TOUCH- sending foliage for the flowers... ) a bunch of Stargazer Lilies- and on top a Bunch of Yellow Freesia! Now many of you may know- YELLOW Freesia are my all time favorite flower... My grandpa would grow them in the greenhouse- in big wooden flats- and when they would bloom- they would be warm in the greenhouse and the whole greenhouse would smell like Freesia- I often say- the smell like Froot Loops... and I would literally pick a bloom and stick it in my nose so I could smell it all the time... and I have been known to carry around flowers- like Tuberose, Gardenia and Freesia- and just smell them... all day long... it's my thing...Let's be honest- that really turned on the water works- because- that's my favorite flower- and of course my friends Benno, Nicolette and Ben- know that I love their Freesia and Yellow is my favorite- and OF COURSE THEY INCLUDED THAT in the BOX... because they are that thoughtful, kind and special... Dutch Roots in American Soil...So- I have these bunches of flowers- and I burst back through the door- with Kel and the dogs inside at the dining room table- and I'm all - "LOOOOOOK what came from Holland America- and there's Freesia"... Kel comes over to smell the freesia- and he says- "are you crying" and I say "Of course... and I head to the flower room... flowers in hand!The reason I'm writing this blog- is I truly believe- we are on "RESET" - I think it was time for all of us to take a break- and reset our lives, our priorities and our positivity- Everything was going to fast- we were losing track- we were becoming negative and we needed to be RESET- just like a phone or computer- RESET!I am finding myself- relishing every moment- taking a little more time everyday to watch the plants push through the dirt in the garden- to watch the sunlight glimmer off of Ladybird's fur when I pet her... taking the time to meditate for 20 minutes or 30 instead of 3 or 5... - reading a recipe- measuring- waiting for bread to rise... that type of thing... that we were missing- we were putting aside- we were rushing... suddenly we have the time...This Wonderful Gift- allowed me to feel the sensation of Flower Delivery- to look inside a box with Wonder- to think of my friends- and enjoy the moment... and I'm not done!So went into the flower room- when we remodeled for the TV Show- we took the old laundry room- that we moved right next to the bedroom- (GREAT IDEA) and converted it into a flower room- with a counter and sink and flower supplies- and good lighting and music - so I could arrange flowers- like I was just about to do...I turned on the lights- I set the music- and I took the time to select some favorite vases- ones that provide plenty of water- and space for the flowers to open... I always clean my vases after each use- so they simply needed a bit of the dust- (Yep- Dust- got it!) wiped off- and I filled them with COLD Water from the tap- and measured- my BULB FOOD Flower Nutrient- (because Tulips, Lilies and Freesia are all bulb flowers) accurately into the vases! Then I began the process...Here's what we talk about all the time- (and what we tell our audiences, customers- clients- etc...)- Enjoying this process... and Today- I took the time- to look at each stem- clean off any damaged foliage- (there wasn't much- but better to be sure)... and began the arranging process- to nice music on the radio- (I listen to Lounge.fm out of Austria- it's a great satellite radio I get from Tune-in) ... and arranged the flowers- cutting each stem with my by-pass cutters- I've graduated to the by-pass from the locking blade knife- because it's what most consumers use- it makes me appreciate the process more...and I don't cut myself as often... just sayin' ...I also followed the trick I've told to so many for so many years- I used a tall cylinder vase for a bunch of Tulips, Lilies and the bunch of Yellow Freesia- Many years ago- my friend Curtis Godwin- told me  "Never cut Freesia- they have the strongest vascular system of any flower- you simply put them into the vase- without cutting- and then all the buds will open all the way to the end"... I doubted Curtis at first- and would still cut my Freesia- and the Open buds would promptly die- and they never opened to the end... so one day I decided to TRY IT - his way... and sure enough- it's based in Science- when you cut Freesia- there is a surge of ethylene - that rushes up the stem- and kills that first bloom- but if you don't cut- even when it's calloused - like it was today- you don't lose that first bloom and all the other blooms- including the buds open up...Suffice to say- I cut and arranged- (except for the Freesia) all the flowers- into three vases- with the Salal Leaves- that came along- I love the bigger green glossy leaves- with these flowers- they look great! I had a few stems of Salal left- and put them into a small vase- as I have some Helebores and Daffodils- that are looking to open this week- I'll see who wins the "RACE" and put a few of those in that vase too!Here's the thing- as I was arranging- I took the time to notice- that I was feeling more relaxed! I was having happier thoughts- deciding what flowers would look best together- thinking of the fun times I've spent with Benno, Nicolette and Ben- the laughs we had- the times I visited the farm- and how they grew these flowers- with their own hands- and harvested them- and packaged them and packed them in a box- and they picked them out for me- and they sent them on their way...I thought about how grey it was outside the window- and how there WILL Be flowers- but not yet- and yet- I have flowers now for my table and throughout the house... I can't wait to see how the tulips open- and watch the colors advance- and how I needed to pull the pollen out of the lilies that were starting to crack open- and that make me think of my Grandpa Carnation Joe- that invented a little gizmo to grab the lily pollen- and how I should dig that out- and use it - because it would be fun- and it would make me think of him- and the fun we used to have... and how special life is- and how wonderful friends are- and how I suddenly didn't have a stress headache- and the world seemed lighter- and I wasn't so afraid- and I was happier and less depressed...The Flowers were working- doing what we have known for so many years... and I was experiencing it... first hand- the Magic- the Feelings- the Power of the Flowers!Thank you Benno- Nicolette- Ben- and all my friends at that Amazing Flower Farm in California- you made my day- you made it better... you made a difference- Just like all of us do- when we Send Flowers!