Narcissus, or the humble daffodil, does not have the best of reputations. It has none of the occasion of carnations, nor the romance of roses , the rarity of orchid or the longevity of zinnia. In spring, it is easy to walk by a gaggle of these beautiful blooms without a second look. They're everywhere. They stand stalwart, returning year after year to greet a world changing from unforgiving ice to the warmth of rebirth. They are a symbol of hope taken for granted, a sign that the worst has passed and all will be well again. They are poison to those who try to treat and use them as something they are not; deadly in their demise. For those who speak their language, this is the flower of new beginnings, motherhood, prosperity, respect and happiness. In troubled times, who could ask for more fortuitous things than these?
There are many stories and legends about the daffodil. It is thought that a single flower seen alone is a foretelling of misfortune. Ancient tales of the Elysian meadows are thought to be peppered with this sacred flower. It's a flower that was long associated with the afterlife, a symbol of change and ever-watching eyes in the old philosophies. These are not only beautiful, cultural symbols but also useful. They are the basis of many potions for memory retrieval and as a way of purging the system.
This is a flower taken for granted. It is found in bargain buckets, removed as though a common weed and forgotten in plain sight. Though the world can be an ugly, cold and barren place, we can take comfort in knowing that the heralds of spring are coming and with them rebirth, prosperity and much needed change. Winter will not last forever.