Holding Hope: the Magic of Sunflowers

sunflower symbolism and a book recommendation: Hoffman's "Faithful"

Hello Friends,

Here in the Northeast August was filled with muggy, rainy days which included the remnants of Debby. But after Debby finished her rage ashore and blew out to sea, cool, less humid air swept in and it’s been quite fall-like and beautiful. And in this warm, late-summer light sunflowers are blooming everywhere, their faces mimicking our brightest star, illuminating roadsides and gardens against the deep-green backdrop of mature foliage.

Reflecting On

sunflowers

Helianthus, the sunflower’s scientific name, is derived from the Greek word for ‘sun,’ ‘helios’ and ‘flower,’ ’anthus.’ In Greek mythology, a nymph, Clytie, was in love with Apollo, the god of the Sun. At first, he loved her, too, but soon another nymph caught his attention. In a fit of jealousy Clytie told the other nymph’s father, and as punishment, the father buried his daughter alive. Apollo was so enraged that he turned Clytie into a sunflower. With her roots digging into the ground and her love for Apollo still a torch in her heart, she turned her face upward to gaze at him. And every day since she watches him arc across the sky.

Across cultures sunflower symbolism contains similar threads that run through each symbol. Native Americans: light and fertility (probably due to the sunflower’s abundant seeds—one sunflower can produce between 1,000 and 2,000 seeds!), Buddhism: spiritual enlightenment and because of the sunflower’s ability to turn towards the light, the human quest for self-realization, Christianity: the divine light of God, faith, positivity, hope, and, from the Greek myth above, loyalty.

The Heart of It

Sunflowers appear here in the Northeast by mid-July and sometimes remain until October. Holding the warmth of the sun in our hearts throughout the long winter can sometimes be difficult. I’m speaking of this as a metaphor for holding hope in our hearts when the winter of hard times is upon us. Using the sunflower as a symbol of hope, warmth, and positivity can be a creative way to shake us from our interior monologues and remember these qualities when we feel weary and like the world is ganging up on us. Sometimes merely hanging a painting or photo of sunflowers helps bring us around. Bouquets of them in your home help elevate the atmosphere, and eating sunflower seeds brings warm nourishment into our bodies. Doing something, even a small thing, can help dispel a dark mood. This worked for me recently when I was feeling depressed about a creative project. It wasn’t going the way I wanted, but while on a walk, I encountered a teaching garden in my town, and staring straight at me was the jolly sunflower that opened this post. It stopped me as if it had a voice and said, ‘Cheer up, girl. It’s not that bad. You can fix it.’ I couldn’t help but take its photo and share it with you all. Of course I thanked it for its wisdom before I followed the path home.

Book Recommendation - Alice Hoffman, “Faithful”

I was in the mood to have Alice Hoffman’s voice in my head again, but I wasn’t sure which book of hers to read. I came across “Faithful” and fell in love with the opening paragraph:

“In February when the snow comes down hard, little globes of light are left along Route 110, on the side of the road that slopes off when a driver least expects it. The lights are candles set inside paper bags, surrounded by sand, and they burn past midnight. They shouldn’t last for that amount of time, but that’s part of the miracle. On the second anniversary of the accident, a gang of boys creep out their windows and gather at two in the morning to see if Helene’s mother, Diana Boyd, drives along the road replacing each melting pool of wax with a fresh candle. They’re hopping to reveal a con in process and dispel the myth of a miracle, but after keeping watch for a while the boys all flee. In the early morning hours, safe in their beds, they wonder how much of the world can never be understood or explained.”

This beautiful opening drew me in before I even read the description on the back cover, but here it is if you’re curious:

“Shelby Richmond is an ordinary girl, until one night an extraordinary tragedy changes her fate: her best friend’s future  is destroyed in an accident, while Shelby walks away without a scratch—although she’s plagued by heartbreak and guilt. Then the first anonymous postcard arrives: SAY SOMETHING.”

This haunting novel is about heartache and redemption, and Shelby Richmond is an endearing character who embodies both compassion and tenacity while dealing with her flaws. The whole novel shimmers with Hoffman’s magical and skillful writing, and I couldn’t stop reading. If you’re looking for a Hoffman novel that maybe you’ve never heard of, I suggest this one. I hadn’t heard of it before, but it was a treasure. Enjoy!

Until next time, hold the sun in your heart!

Jan

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