The Three F’s

23 June 2013

In school, anything less than 59% is an F.  F stands for failure.  We are taught to avoid F’s.  In fact, we’re taught to strive for 93% or above so we can be A’s.

But, in the real world, there are three F’s that matter.

FRIENDS

FOOD

AND

FLOWERS

When life gets hard, it’s the three F’s that show up and make everything a B (for better).

My father died in 1989.  The day he died, friends showed up bringing food and flowers. 

When the BUN died, friends came bearing BUNdt cakes, food, and flowers.  It made it bearable.

The other day, I was unhappy.  I felt lonely.  My heart was a little bit broken.

My friend made me breakfast.  She did it because she knew if she didn’t feed me, I wouldn’t eat.

Food is important. 

Often, if I was grumpy and grouchy, before engaging in conversation with me, Dwight would say, “Have you eaten?”  When you’re hungry, you can’t think. You can’t communicate.  And, you feel even emptier.

Finally, flowers.

Flowers are fun.  Dwight used to send me flowers.  In fact, he’d send flowers on the first day of school – he’d send one red rose for every child in my class. 

As a forty-something, I’ve learned to love growing flowers in my garden.

It’s not about percentages or grades . . .it’s about the three F’s:  friends, food and flowers.