My Flower
By: Tanokai
Dedication: I dedicate this story to Aeis, a writer who wrote a Rurouni Kenshin story called Autumn Fireflies. Had it not been for that story I would never have thought of this one. Thank you Aeis. If, by chance, you have problems with my story and certain themes the two stories may have in common, please notify me, and I will take down this one-shot as soon as I can.
Sophia walked through a backyard garden of her home. Upon spotting a section of beautiful lavender flowers, she stopped. Sophia smiled as she remembered playing in a huge field of them as a young child. She also remembered receiving such flowers for birthdays and congratulations. Yes, the lavender flowers before her had a special place in her heart. They never lived long, a few months of the year, but even so, more always returned in the next spring, happy and full of color.
Why did the flower remain so happy through its short, harsh life?
Being stepped on and picked from the ground, the flower still wishes to thrive until all of it's strength is gone. The wish and instinct to live was strong in all beings, yes. That was true, but that didn't answer her question.
What was the point?
It couldn't be just to reproduce. Why would they wish a harsh life upon their offspring?
Why didn't it give up?
It starts as a seed, and in a sense so did most living things.
No reason there.
It grows into a sapling.
Big deal. It just grew a bit and matured.
It grows more and the beautiful petals come.
Ok. We're getting closer now. Appearance is nice, but there had to be more.
A little kid stops and looks at it.
Admiration from other beings. Still nice, but still not quite a purpose to live.
The kid picks it from the ground.
Ouch! That got to hurt. Defiantly not a fine point.
The kid hands the flower to another.
Hmmm. This might be it.
Whoever received the flower is happier now.
If it were a parent, they feel that much more loved.
If it were a sibling the same thing.
If it were that 'special someone' they know someone cares.
If it were a sick person, they wish more then before to get better.
If it were a simple stranger off the street, they feel more happiness in their life.
If it were a homeless person, they now have more courage to live, knowing someone might actually care.
That was it!
That was the reason a flower lived.
They lived, and dreamed, for that chance and opportunity that they may just make a difference in someone's life.
Sophia smiled. She took a ribbon from her hair, and then picked a bundle of flowers from the garden. She tied the ribbon around the stems of the flowers and left the mansion.
"Today," she said with a smile, "I make your dream come true."
Sophia ended up standing upon a cliff where a tombstone marked the grave of her former Captain.
She placed the flowers before the tombstone.
Every flower ends up making a difference in someone's life. It may be the flwer given to someone, or it may just be the flower that remains in the field of flowers the child plays in with great delight. Every person was a flower as well. Every person makes some good difference in another's life. It could be the person someone loved who brought that light and happiness in that someone's heart, or the doctor who saved his patients life, or even the person who gave a small gift to a stranger they didn't even know. And just as everyone was a flower, everyone had a flower.
"You," Sophia said looking at the tombstone with the name 'Alex Rowe' carved into it. "Were my flower."