The Victorian Language of Flowers was used for decades to relay feelings that people had a hard time expressing or were too embarrassed to share. Each flower has its own meaning, and each color further explains the emotions they evoke. The flower we will be looking at today is the Larkspur. This flower has a tall stalk with small blooms densely coating the outside. Some of its supposed powers include fending off ghosts, scorpions, and venomous creatures. In the Victorian Language of Flowers, the Larkspur symbolizes lightheartedness and laughter.
I apologize for all of those looking for something more satirical for The Stupe. In sincerity, I wanted to cover a flower that covers humor and laughter. Shockingly, it was harder to come across than I would have expected. The closest definition of humor in the Language of Flowers is anything that resembles lightheartedness.
My struggles to find a humorous flower aside, I think that laughter plays a huge role in who we are as people. Oftentimes, when people are struggling, laughter serves as a comfort. I was always the individual who needed someone to make me laugh when I was upset. I would just be consumed by whatever thoughts were troubling me at present.
From a young age, I would stress out about school. I hadn’t had an undue amount of stress put on me by my parents, teachers, or friends — it was all my own anxiety. I specifically recall being in fifth grade when I felt the weight of one particular assignment hit me. I started spiraling, and I remember crying on the floor when my brother, who was five at the time, came into my room and absolutely attacked my sister, who was twelve. I started hysterically laughing. I could not help myself because, as I knew my sister wasn’t actually getting hurt, her hysteria and frazzled words made me start dying laughing.
Since then, my siblings have been what feels like a cure to my anxiety. They have taught me that sometimes all you need is a good laugh to move past a bad situation. It’s like what Roger Rabbit says in the movie Who Framed Roger Rabbit: “A laugh can be a very powerful thing. Why, sometimes in life, it’s the only weapon we have.” I suppose in this circumstance, you’d be fighting whatever troubles you have. In my experience, it does wonders.
Laughter connects and divides people – sometimes you have to either censor or filter your laughter depending on the people you’re with. To be quite frank, it feels like a perfect gift when you find someone who can match your humor and then some. So, if there is anything I can say for this April Fools, it would be to go have a good laugh with friends. You deserve it.
