The Tiger Lily Lesson
When I was young and dumb and broke—I’m talking about my 20s and, maybe, even beyond—I would take shortcuts to reach my goals. (Come to think of it…I still take some stupid shortcuts!) I learned the hard way, however, that there are times when travelling the long road is the best way to go.
The arrival of summer—finally—has resulted in the grounds around my home being awash in tiger lilies, a favorite flower since childhood. The orange smatterings have not only brightened my gardens, but my outlook. (How can you feel bad with such glorious splendor?) The opening of these flowers’ petals has reminded of a time so long ago.
With the somewhat-limited budget of a just-out-of-college and newly-employed professional, I liked to entertain…a lot. And I liked to do it in splendor. My means certainly didn’t justify the end that I liked to accomplish: wonderful food and beverages and beautiful table arrangements with magnificent floral centerpieces. But I managed. (My credit card statements at that time indicated just how I accomplished my festive and popular dinner parties.)