“My best memories from childhood are going to work with him....

“My best memories from childhood are going to work with him. He’d give me a little vase and let me make my own arrangements. Even though they were terrible, he’d always pretend like he sold them. I loved being part of his world. He’d take me to all the neighboring shops, and everyone knew him. Partly because he’s 6’6”. But also because people just love being around my dad. His energy is infectious. He built all of this himself. He never went to high school. Never took a business class. He just loves flowers. He’ll tell anyone who’ll listen: ‘I love this job. Every day I love this job.’ I guess I just assumed I’d grow up to be the same way. I’ve always been Bill’s daughter. I love to take risks, and connect with people. I thought I’d do something special too. But somewhere along the way I lost myself. I don’t know, why does any woman lose herself? When you’re a mom, and a wife, and a career woman, so much of your day is spent on everyone else. I hadn’t even visited my dad at his shop in over ten years. I’d see him at his house on the weekends, but I always had my kid with me. Or my husband. So I never had a chance to just ‘be a daughter.’ But last May I was given an assignment in graduate school: I could write a report on any industry, so I chose flowers. Because I knew it would give me an excuse to visit my dad. When I came to the store he was in a tough spot. He’d been forced to change locations because of the pandemic. But he’d made so many friends already. Time after time a person would walk in, and they’d have their own little thing between them. I visited right before Mother’s Day. It was his first in the new spot, so he was trying to decide how many flowers to order. It was very high stakes. He really needed the business, but you’d never know he was under so much pressure. He was having fun. My dad just makes decisions with his heart and worries about the details later. He’s always been that way, and it’s never failed him. On the train ride home I was lost in my thoughts. It was the best day I’d had in a long time. Being so close to him made me realize something: I was also that way once. And I can be that way again. Because I’ve always been Bill’s daughter.”