I am currently in my 42nd year in the retail flower business…. a feat unimaginable when I began at the young age of 18. I didn’t know what lay ahead for my future when I took that course in floral design and secured my first job. I am fortunate that ten years later I found Ashland and opened Flower Tyme on the Plaza, my second flower shop in my career. I sometimes question what I would have done for a career if I had not chosen to become a florist and gift/ home decor merchandiser. Something that would have had a more major impact on others’ lives….. doctor?… no… teacher?…. no….. marine biologist?….. no.
There is nothing else that I can really imagine myself spending the last 42 years doing. And when I think of the impact of what a florist does, providing a personal, tangible product to help people express their emotions, I realize that my profession is not just selling flowers and gifts. Florists are there to help families and friends connect with each other in a way that nothing else can. From miles away, flowers are a vehicle to convey love, sympathy, joy, happiness, regret, and encouragement. The thoughtfulness behind the act of sending flowers is so appreciated and is attested to by the smiling and surprised faces of the recipients when I hand someone a beautifully arranged bouquet.
Those flowers have suddenly lifted someone’s spirits, let a person know they are not alone, or affirmed love. The memory of that gesture will last indefinitely. Or that necklace chosen by a loving husband will be cherished by his wife for years to come. Or that new lamp found at Flower Tyme or Manzanita will be the inspiration for a whole new room decor. My profession is an important one and one that touches peoples’ lives every day.
Flower Tyme on the Plaza 55 N. Main St. 541-488-1588…. a shop full of happiness!
Manzanita on Main 90 N. Main St. 541-488-9886…. great stuff for living and giving!
