It’s officially spring, and celebrations abound: May Day, Cinco De Mayo, morning glories and sweet spring evenings!
April's showers are bringing flowers and there are so many reasons pick them, wrap them up and bring them to some of your favorite people this month. In the second week of May, there’s Teacher Appreciation Week (at most schools around the country) and then immediately following is Mother’s Day, when we get to honor that special person in our lives and remember how much we appreciate their love, their caring, their tenderness. Whoever you call 'mother' and whoever you call 'teacher', here are some ideas to make these days of appreciation spring forth with blessings and grace.
Bamboo is a traditional staple in the pantheon of gift ideas for special loved ones. It connotes strength and courage, and bestows longevity and healing. Much the same as we're not encouraged (here in the world of Fortune and Luck) to gift someone with any sort of timepiece (as they indirectly suggest a limited life cycle), we are equally encouraged to go ahead and gift a beautiful bounty of bamboo to bring long life, stability, serenity and stalwartness -- all those things we want for those in our hearts and thoughts, and whose influence impacts us daily.
If bamboo is not an option, jewelry will work -- but it must be jade. A bracelet, a ring or a necklace, anything made of jade, the most precious of stones according to almost every Eastern culture). This will also bring your loved ones gifts of healing, longevity and light.
If you want to go with a more traditional gift, a lovely bouquet of roses, don’t forget to ask the florist to remove all the thorns. It is believed that the longer the stem and the sharper the thorn, the more danger and tragedy that could befall the recipient. Or, four purple African violets (the color and number associated with ‘Wealth’ and ‘Abundance’) placed in the money area of the home or classroom will most certainly cause you to go to the head of the class and/or become someone’s favorite gift giver! Speaking of violets, violet incense is called ‘The Happy Incense’ in Feng Shui; as it wafts around, it's known to lift spirits and bring a happy vibration to any atmosphere.
And then there is rosemary. This lovely herb is not only known to imbue a space with happy thoughts, it also increases a female’s financial stability and independence. Three small rosemary plants, potted and live, placed anywhere in the kitchen promises good vibes -- and adds a little spice to the salads you make for your biggest fans!
Lastly, May is a month where the words 'I love you' simply cannot be said enough. I hope that as many times as you put those sentiments out there to others is how many times -- times 10 -- that they return back to you!
Happy May!
