Made a new friend yesterday. Our second time to meet. The first --- the usual hi-hello routine. That was all. She, i decided, was out of my league. Rich girl: old rich, grew up in Forbes, with a famous family name included in history).
But in our second meeting which was at the workshop yesterday, downtime, we were able to connect past the obligatory small talk and just show our bare selves, i.e. reveal patches of our personal lives. Serious stuff. Here she is, born with a silver spoon, left her high-paying corporate career to get into counselling and be far deep in the trenches of life --- entering a totally different world which of course shocked her the first time (getting in with women, families raised on all sorts of abuse, prostitution, poverty and squalor). Hitching with us, she requested we stop for some flowers if we chance upon a street vendor -- so that we could get them cheaper. It was late and so the only available flowers were those found in flower stalls by the roadside. I got myself blue purple statice because they last long and retain their beautiful tint even when dry. She, on the other hand, was enjoying her purchase of her favorite bundle of white long stemmed fragrant flowers. She kept on telling us how sweet they were. Because she forgot what they were we had to ask the vendor and learned they were azucenas.
The azucena or tuberose is from the Amaryllis family. Its smell is similar to that of jasmine --- heady, fragrant, distinct.
"The legend of the tuberose in France warns that young girls should not breathe in its fragrance after dark for fear that it would put them in a romantic mood. In India, tuberose is known as rat ki rani, [The Mistress of the Night] for similar reasons. In Ayurvedic medicine, attars are held in high esteem not only for their exquisite fragrance, but their healing properties. Tuberose is known to improve one's capacity for emotional depth. By opening the crown chakra it improves psychic powers. Tuberose also amplifies artistic inspiration as it stimulates the creative right side of the brain. And it brings serenity to the mind and heart."
Because she had been great company I decided right there to get myself some of those sweet-smelling ones. Aside from making a new friend, i now have come to appreciate a new flower that i will always associate with her.
