When Words Fail, We Bring Flowers
- Diana Pierce
- Sep 3
- 2 min read
Why We Bring Flowers
By Diana Pierce
September 3, 2025
A week ago, tragedy struck our Twin Cities community. The unthinkable happened: two innocent children were killed, and several others were wounded during morning prayer at school.
In the aftermath, gestures of comfort quietly began to appear at the chapel doors. Friends and strangers alike brought what they could: armfuls of sunflowers, single roses, bundles of daisies, some picked from their own gardens.
Across centuries and cultures, people have carried blooms to places of loss, trusting flowers to speak in ways we cannot.
I visited the chapel the next day to pay my respects. What I witnessed was volunteers gently placing the flowers in buckets of water, hoping to extend their freshness. As their supplies dwindled—I heard the volunteers discussing that a quick trip to the hardware store for more buckets was needed as the outpouring of flowers continued.
Standing there, I realized—this is what we do when words fail. We bring flowers.
Why Flowers?
Flowers carry messages we can’t always speak aloud:
Their beauty is brief. It reminds us how fragile and precious life is.
Their colors and fragrances soften sorrow, wrapping grief in gentleness.
They transform cold sidewalks or church entrances into living, breathing spaces of remembrance.
It wasn’t only flowers. Stuffed animals sat nestled among the bouquets—symbols of childhood and comfort.
Notes and drawings appeared. These small offerings, side by side, became a visible embrace from across the city.
A Reflection for Us All
As I watched volunteers tenderly arranging the flowers, I thought: this is care in its simplest form—keeping beauty alive for as long as we can, to honor those who can no longer be here.
And it made me wonder:
What do flowers mean to you when you see them at a memorial?
Have you ever placed a bloom down in honor of someone? How did it feel at that moment?
Holding Space Together
This week, I invite you to take a quiet moment with whatever bloom is near you—a rose in a vase, a wildflower on the roadside, or even a photo. Let it remind us that beauty, though fleeting, helps us hold onto memory, love, and each other.
Across centuries, flowers have carried our grief when words could not. This week, they carry our grief once again.
If you feel moved to share what flowers have meant to you in difficult times, I would be honored to hear your reflections.
Diana
Comments