Diamonds v/s Flowers

I've never been much of a bling bling girl; more the T-shirt, shorts and sandals wearing type. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against diamonds, bien au contraire like they say in french.

I was randomly surfing (Pinterest actually, that's where I go when I'm bored on Sunday nights). I came across this phrase and it more than just caught my attention:

"I'd rather have flowers on my table than diamonds on my neck" - Emma Goldman

It hit home beautifully. I have to admit I didn't know who Emma Goldman was but I just had to, this woman had just made my day. I googled :D Turns out she's a German anarcha-feminist who lived a few centuries ago. That was just side information. Let's get to the point where we analyse things. It's said that diamonds are forever and a girl's best friend. They are shiny, lustrous, elegant, precious, expensive, mostly expensive and they last an indefinite amount of time which can be considered as forever. As for flowers they are pretty, colourful, smell good, bloom out of nowhere, are available everywhere, share their beauty and then fade to nothingness. Put like this the diamonds seem like a more intelligent deal than the flowers, right? For anyone in their right mind.

Then why does the flower have so much more appeal for the free-thinking "rebel woman" Emma Goldman and I, not to forget countless other women, I hope? Would it be because the flower is a living thing? Or would it be because the flower reminds us of the fragility and impermanence of our own lives. It could also be because of the cycle the flower goes through. The flower becomes the fruit which becomes the seeds which then becomes the plant to become the flower again. This one is my personal favourite. Whatever it is, fresh flowers make me happy. I love having them in my bedroom, they breathe life and sunshine, even and specially in winter.