Oh, How I Love the Stunning Spring Flowers Every Year, But Not the Pollen
Sneezing, Runny Noses, and Water Eyes Be Gone!
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We recently moved back to the Washington DC area. It’s cherry blossom season, and it’s quite spectacular. But in about a month, the pollen starts to settle on to everything that’s moving and not moving. The lovely green blankets of dust that adorn our cars and infiltrate our nasal passages are … well, they’re just wonderful. No.
One of the things I have missed about being in this area is the spring tulips, cherry blossoms, and daffodils. There are pops of color all around the city that make driving in the traffic much more enjoyable.
When I left here, some 20 years ago, I was not sad to leave the pollen. No, no, no. In fact, I was so happy to encounter my first spring day in California with its sunny, cloudless sky. I stood gazing up for what seemed like five minutes. And then I realized that I hadn’t sneezed or scratched at my eyes or pulled out a tissue to wipe my nose. Bam! Life is beautiful, I thought.
When I lived in the Washington DC area before, I could count down the days of post-winter to pre-sneezing. It was like clockwork. I had to stop wearing contacts every April. That’s how bad it got. So, as much as I absolutely adored the stunning spring flowers, I always felt like I couldn’t enjoy them. That darn pollen.
Now that I’m back, I am cautiously optimistic that my homecoming will allow me to enter the pearly gates of beautiful color that graces the nation’s capital. I’m planning to make my first pilgrimage of sorts to photograph the cherry blossoms as they are one of my favorite flowers. So much so that they are etched into my left arm — a symbol of freedom. As a biracial Korean, this flower has a great connection to a land that my ancestors claim as home.
So, pollen, let’s do this thing! I’m ready for you.
