Sun and Flowers

Information:

• Source: The Wonder’s of Music Notebook
• Key: D Major
• Measures: 30
• Parts: Cello and Piano
• Duration: 3:00
• Pages: 3 Pages

A simple glance at a sunflower and one realizes, how wonderful life really is.

Hello Everyone,

The summer is almost over, I keep waiting for the temperatures to hit high, but so far, it’s been unusually mild for this time of the year. The hot season lasts for 2.9 months, from June 27 to September 25, with an average daily high temperature above 82°F. This, according to the Weather Channel. If I must compare Sacramento, CA, where I used to live, to Punta Banda where I am now, Punta Banda is a paradise.

Living by the beach it has been a dream come true: Endless walks, starry nights, sighting beautiful sunsets, the constant cool breeze in a sunny day it’s undoubtedly welcoming.

I can certainly say, as a result of my resolution of having moved as closed as I possibly could to the Pacific Ocean, I am happier. Of course, after less than two years living here, everything in the area is still a novelty. The result, has been the perfect example, of a well deserved dividend.

To my delight, I have seen, entire fields cover with sunflowers, and as I go down to the closest town to buy groceries, the sight of those fields are, a vast universe fill with bright yellow stars. Granted, Mexico today, isn’t known for its big production of sunflowers, even though, the common sunflower (Helianthus annuus) was cultivated, since long ago, by the Aztecs.

The production of sunflowers back then, was used for food, religious rituals, decorations, and even as medicine. In present times, the importance of the sunflower has not change much. Apart from their agricultural and culinary relevance, sunflowers had made their way to the world of art, thanks to the renowned painter Vincent Van Gogh, who reproduced their beauty through his famous oil paintings. The world now, may appreciate the painter’s own perspective of them.

In one of my trips to town, I noticed a flower shop. I bought a small bouquet of sunflowers to placed in my kitchen to bright up the needed space. It’s of no surprise, how much life and light these flowers had brought to the room. As a result of this small gesture, my mood changed for good, and the smile on my face lasted all day long.

Many times before, I have heard people said: Stop and smell the flowers. If I literally follow the advice, and I actually stop to smell the flowers along the way, the experience is quiet revealing. I happen to find the sunflower’s scent pleasant.

The next morning, the earthy aroma coming from the flowers had filled the room, it was impossible to ignored. I looked at the flowers and suddenly, in an instant, the desire to be present, forced me to reach out and touch those beautiful petals with my finger-tips, since the sunflower is closed associated with the sun, I felt as if I was holding the bright star in my own hands.

The awareness I was experiencing, stirred a feeling of contentment like I’ve never felt before; at the same time, it brought memories from my childhood: My father, throughout his life, had the good habit of bringing flowers to my mother. I understood then and there, the importance of pausing life once in a while and placate the senses.

The sunflower is, I reckon, one of the most easily recognize flowers around the world. If there is a flower that embodies happiness, without doubt, is the sunflower. People and entire cultures around the world, notably, had been using them in many ways, ways that directly or indirectly involved four of the senses:

Taste
Smell
Sight
Touch

From the list above, the sense of hearing is missing in the equation, therefor, I’ve composed a friendly piece of music that represents, a modest intention; an intention that provides the additional mechanism needed, to get therefor the sense of hearing involved.

Feel free to listen to the piece, I really hope you’d enjoy it, and it makes you hum along. Remember to buy sunflowers now and then, I guarantee, you’ll be smiling all day long.

As for me, I’ll continue enjoying the beauty, and strength of this wonder of nature by recognizing its nutritional value, or perceiving the radiance of its fragrance, or enjoying the sight of its yellow petals, besides, if I dare touch its thorn less stem, I would not be afraid to do it. And now and forevermore, I would be hearing the voices of the sun and flowers, combine in one, every time I wish to play this piece.