Friday Flowers: "Flower Children"

Bundled up for the cold

I grew up in the days of the Flower Children of the 1960's when flowers became a generational symbol of peace and love. We speak of the "flower of youth" which develops into the "fruit of age". Flowers brighten our days with colour and beauty, attributes I am always looking for during the white and grey days of winter. So why not feature some youthful blooms for a change this week?

Some anonymous person coined this saying;-

"Children are the flowers of life,
but let them grow on someone else’s windowsill."

Children are great fun and I do not own the bitter undertone of the above quote. But all the children pictured today are growing on someone else's windowsill. They were at the Christkindl Market last weekend.

Skaters- click to enlarge

There is a rink in front of City Hall which is open for free public skating. Some of these youngsters moved confidently on the ice. The little girl in red was practising figure skating moves and was thoroughly enjoying herself in spite of having a few falls. The children on the right of the picture grid were just learning to skate with the supports provided.

Klaus and fans- click to enlarge

Vendors were set up inside City Hall and Klaus, the Organ Grinder pumped lively Christmas carols out of his instrument. He had a very unlikely fan base of young teenagers from the nearby high school. They were fascinated with the paper rolls of music and waited for a turn to help Klaus change his songs. A line of young girls stood to my right and a row of boys sat on a bench impressing the girls with silly up and down movements in time to the music. They are children in transition, admiring toy wooden cars one minute and trying to impress the opposite sex the next.

George Bernard Shaw said,

“I like flowers, I also like children, but I do not chop their heads
and keep them in bowls of water around the house.”

Children need love, peace and a safe home and community in order to grow healthy and strong. There are times we may want to keep them still and out of the way and as people get older they may lose patience with younger generations. Others, like Klaus the Organ Grinder, accept the sometimes awkward enthusiasm of youth, including them in their personal sphere of influence.

Children = Beauty, colour, enthusiasm, potential...