Iris: a message
Iris is a genus of 300 flowering plants with flamboyant flowers. Irises are perennials plants that grow from underground rhizomes or bulbs in drier regions. Their name is derived from the Greek word for rainbow. aptly named as they tend to be very vibrant. They have long straight, sturdy stems with flowers blooming in the shape of a fan and containing at least one 6 lobed symmetrical flower. They look very exotic and intricate to me, its hard to explain them so look at the photos. There are of course hundreds of species but that's the general idea. They are extensively grown as ornamental plants and are mostly found in the temperate Northern hemisphere of Europe, Asia and North America. This afternoon, I ambled down the spiral staircase to find a book to flick through. Amongst a pile of interiors magazines, i came upon "Superhints for life" compiled by none other than Lady Wardington. I am currently living in Wardington Manor and although the Wardington family have moved on, I've heard stories about them. Lady Audrey Wardington was quite a beauty; she reportedly applied for a job with the BBC and was unsuccessful as she was “too sophisticated and severely beautiful...” and in case she “alarmed timid men from Wigan and country districts”. I'm told she was a lovely lady and she made a life for herself without the BBC so it was their loss entirely! This particular little book was produced to raise funds for a local hospice. I've only read the introduction and a few quotes, mostly they are just funny little pieces of life advice, but the foreword quoted this: "Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy." It's an excerpt from Desiderata, a 1927 prose piece written by Max Ehrmann. What beautiful timeless advice. The language of flowers cites iris to simply mean, a message. The manor grounds are strewn with striking violet irises, maybe even planted by Lady Wardington herself. This week i've drifted through the beds on numerous occasions picking and pruning surrounded by their intoxicating scent. It would appear that the irises had a message for me. I cant help but think that something guided me to the dusty corner of the hall to find this very book, maybe Lady Wardington, maybe the Universe. I have a rather short attention span but i needed only to read the very first page to find words that so felt like they were for my ears, at this exact time. A wonderful gift when i needed it most. Thank you.
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