Flower arrangements (Pt 2)

So I had my third and last weekend of flower arranging. (Read about the first weekend here) This weekend was interesting, there were so many things I was thinking about, and then thinking about the results of those things I was thinking about, and then not happy with what could happen if I think that way, so trying to quickly change my thinking so I wouldn't get unpleasant results.... PHEW I don't blame you if you don't understand me!

I was so pleased with my last efforts of making the vases. Although on the first day I'd been unsure of what I was doing (and it showed in the vases!), by the second day, and then the weekend after that, I felt like a natural, like this was MY service for the weekend and I was good at it.

Saturday morning I started late, can't remember exactly why. I probably slept through my alarm again. I collected the foliage to use and headed to the temple. Somehow though, when it came time to put the vases together, nothing was working. I had a good amount of flowers and leaves, I had fresh new oasis, I had a decent amount of time... so what was wrong? Nothing was sitting right and nothing was looking good, what was going wrong?

And forewarning there was not happy ending. The end result was a pretty hotch potch job, and certainly not fitting for Lord Caitanya. And to make matters worse the other mataji who makes the larger arrangements (whos work I often judge, and compare with my vases) had done an incredible job. I'm not just saying that, the pujaris commented how amazing hers were! She'd picked yellow bird-of-paradise flowers, violet coloured flowers and other greenery, and the vases were really a fresh burst of colour compared to my dowdy flops.

If I was Mahaprabhu I would've taken one look at my arrangements when they were placed and kicked them off the altar. Seriously, they were that bad.

That'd teach me for making myself right at home in the pujari room and thinking I was so great at the job.

When my alarm went off at 4.30am on Sunday morning, I was nervous. I'd given myself a little more time to collect the greenery, cuz I really didn't want to screw it up this time. It would be the last day I'd be doing this service, and who knows if I could ever do it again. Better get it right.

I found a row the beautiful bright orange bird-of-paradise flowers. Perfect. Yellow plants with long thin leaves and thick stems. Perfect. Long stems of small white flowers. Perfect. Large bright fronds from a coconut tree. Perfect. Long thin leaves from the hedge on the way to the temple. Perfect.

And they turned out fabulous. If I do say so myself. Well, better than yesterday at least. They were a little small for my liking, but otherwise well balanced, colourful, pretty. Me like.

I was sad that this would be the last time I would be doing this service. As much as I'm a night owl, I enjoy the early morning mist while I collected greenery, the busyness of the pujari room as the devotees dress Panca Tattva. The nervousness of whether the vases will turn out okay. Will I be able to do this again soon? At least I finished the last day with beautiful vases.

Secretly I was a little pleased because the mataji who does the larger arrangements didnt completely re-do her vases. She simply pulled out the yellow and purple flowers and pushed in a few stems of white flowers, which meant mine were more colourful. But wait!! I realised I was gloating in my success and actually glad hers weren't as nice as mine. Krsna will never let me do the vases again!. I can't think like that! "Her vases are beautiful."

Phew. Dodged that one. Gotta be careful how I think.

That afternoon, I was asked if I could cover for someone and do the vases Monday morning too. Krsna fulfills all desires... wasn't I just wondering when the next day would be? I was excited... one more day! I don't know how I can beat yesterdays vases, but I get to do it one more day!!!

I'm not exactly sure why, but I walked a different route around the compound this morning to collect the foliage - via the small road that leads to the goshala. I'm glad I did - I found long thin toi tois and red bird-of-paradise flowers. I was set. And while I was humming away making the arrangements this morning, I didn't judge mataji's large arrangements. I didn't compare mine with hers, I didn't secretly smile that I had found toi tois and she just had boring white flowers. I just kept my head down and put together the arrangements.

Although they are larger than I've ever done since I've been doing this service, they are by far my favorite. It helps of course, that they matched the colour of Pancha Tattva's outfit today.

Photographs of Mahaprabhu by Muralidhara Priya das

So when can I do it again?