Fall-owing the Flowers

So, as I set out to follow the flowers, mid-October, I realized that all the flowers have begun to die — you know, because winter is coming. I followed them anyway, and I was surprised with the number of flowers still alive at this time of the year.

The more I walked, the more I noticed the contrast of the flowers that were alive and the ones that had died. Any that were still alive were property of DePaul, and the rest belonged to individual apartments. Any in the planters on the street had died because the city has removed them or stopped keeping up with them.

Why the heck did I decide to follow around dead flowers?

I love flowers! If you read my earlier post, you know: I draw flowers. I love how different they are from each other. I love the story they tell.

So, if you don’t mind, I’d like to share they story they tell me:

Flowers tell a story just as the people walking past them do: they bloom in the spring, wake up to the sun everyday, as the seasons progress they change and whither, they patiently await the moon for their few hours of calm and shade from the blinding sun. Flowers have a vibrant life, but the changing of the seasons is the most intriguing to me, at least.

Summer: All the flowers are in full bloom and people are out and about. The flowers await the sun’s warmth, the bees’ cross pollination, the little girls to pick them and tuck them behind their ears. The people passing in the streets revel in their long overdue break from work, enjoying every second they get out in the windy city, taking pleasure in every smiling face they see. Summertime is a time of mere existence. Purely being. The sun shines bright every day, the temperature is mild and enjoyable, the rain is refreshing and cooling, and the breeze is a subtle reminder that all is still in motion on these long, relaxing days. Both the people and the flowers rooted beside them are simply living. Enjoying each moment as it passes because the knowledge that “all good things come to an end”.

Fall: PUMPKINS! Changing leaves. Flowers holding on to every last bit of life that they can before the frost comes in and sweeps it all away. The colors are so vibrant during early fall. My science teacher always told me it was the lack of chlorophyl in the leaves that made the colors change, but even now, it seems almost miraculous. It can’t be that easy for the universal leafy green to transition to the energetic gold, ripe red, and vivid orange of fall. And then, just like that, they all fade into the dead, lifeless, crunchy, brown afterthoughts that clog the sewers. Fall is a time of enjoying the final days of warmth and transitioning, like the leaves, to the cold, frigid days to come. You gather clothes to warm your body and the company of those you love to warm your soul. Fall is a time of preparation, both physical and mental, but we don’t mind because everything is so beautifully colorful.

Winter: White. Grey. Cold. All the flowers are gone. The only life that remains aside from the commuters is that of the trees. Their naked arms stretched to the sky, reaching for what little light there is. Everyone and everything is chilled to the bone, just trying to get home. Life seems to be somewhat of a task, but the glistening white snowflakes soften the harshness of it all. All the icy wind, the fatigued people, the ceaseless darkness, and the relentless frost… it all seems unbearable until you see the untouched powder that has collected nearly everywhere. There is no end in sight, but it’s okay because your picturesque view is quixotic and dreamy and there is no rush to wake up. Winter is a time of concealment. Both the people and the flowers are willingly hidden — protecting themselves from the severity of the outside.

Spring: Rebirth. Growth. Renewal. Spring is the silver lining of it all. Everyone is so excited to go outside and enjoy the new life and beauty of everything that has been uncovered from the melting snow. The revival of life, nature, spirit, and existence in effect. New flowers blossom, new attitudes become more prevalent in familiar faces, new beginnings take action altogether. Spring is a time for newness and appreciation of everything that has happened and will happen. A homage to the organic and the continuance of life.

Chicago is just the same. When people think of Chicago they don’t think of the flowers. They think of the skyline, the lake, the hoards of people, the nightlife, and the mix of cultures. I’d like to prove them wrong. I have never been to California, but I know some people from there and one of their biggest critiques is that “it’s all concrete”. No one wants to see just concrete… that’s so blahhhhhhh. Many of the streets in Chicago are lined with flowers, planters, or at the very least, trees. I swear, this city is more forest than anything else.

Needless to say, the flowers are what keep Chicago interesting. There are people from all walks of life in Chicago, and the flowers only emphasize that. A variety of flowers to attract the eyes of a variety of people. I mean, you have locals and tourists, and then you can break it down even further, mid-westerners, southerners, westerners, Europeans, Africans, Asians, Hispanics. I can go on for hours, but I’ll spare you the reading. It’s crazy to think that so many different people could all accumulate in the same place, but lo and behold… it has happened.

Flowers are amazing. When you think about it, we use them for every occasion. Sure, flowers in the garden and on the street, but then you have flowers that give to people for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, even funerals. We incorporate flowers into every aspect of our lives. Why not the city? Why not a walk?

At the very end of my walk I passed these tiny, cute flowers. Obviously, I needed to take photo of them. When I got closer, I noticed a bumble bee flying around from flower to flower. I thought this was extremely peculiar considering most of the flowers have died already, why do they need to be pollenated? But, also, all the bees have been gone for a while, where did this one come from?

I took this last bumble bee as summer’s last effort to fight back against the autumn season. Yes, fall is already here, but there have still been some temperate days and clearly the bumble bee is not ready to leave. Neither is summertime. As someone whose favorite seasons are fall and winter, I say that it’s time for summer to go, but there is a certain appeal about summer that I can’t put my finger on. Everyone loves it, I can’t stand it, but there is still something about it.

Flowers are everywhere in Chicago. The city takes much pride in it’s visual appeal. There are flowers on the main streets in the city. All down Michigan Ave., the streets are lined with thousands of them. Like I said, you can never go wrong with flowers, they are present for any and all life achievements. Flowers are a huge portion of our lives we just don’t notice. Everyone is always in a rush or on their phone while watching TV will reading a book. Our world has become too consumed with doing everything at once that we no longer notice things that wouldn’t have gone unnoticed. Small additions or details that make all difference in everyday life, no longer matter because people want what they want when they want it and don’t care about anything else. Flowers teach us patience. Any gardner knows they require much patience for planting, sprouting, blossoming, and even maintenance once they have grown.

Flowers are a lot of work, but then again so are people. Timing is all that really matters. With regards to flowers and people, you just need the right timing. One of my favorite quotes, “In the end, everything will be okay. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end.” illustrates just that point. Timing is everything. If things aren’t going your way, it’s probably because the timing isn’t right. And in a city of hustle and bustle, timing is something everyone needs.

The flowers show us the importance of timing, patience, and hidden beauty of the city. It’s time more people start following the flowers. You’d be surprised what reaction you get, and how different they all can be. Flowers are a bigger part of our lives than we think, and though they recede into hiding for winter and a good portion of autumn, we could do well to appreciate the stories the share with us.