Commonly Referred to as Bee Balm

I am not a very outgoing person.  In fact, I jokingly tease with my husband that I would make a great hermit.  However, there is much truth in that statement.  When meeting new people I tend to get tongue-tied and say all the wrong things.  I am content just being at home.  I am very anxious when put in a situation to speak one on one with a stranger or even an acquaintance that I haven't seen in a while.  When I'm in the grocery store or other public place, it is very likely that I will make eye contact and smile at people, but if it seems like they will want to speak with me, I avert my eyes and keep moving!  So, it has been quite challenging to follow through on my desire to make myself more approachable and have, as Tammy from Garden Glimpses puts it, greetablility.

I have been praying that God would give me opportunities to have greetablility and He came through in a big way on Saturday.  The family and I were at the farmer's market enjoying the hustle and bustle and stopping to ooh and aah at all the wonderful handmade products, fragrant ripe produce and delightful goodies.  (Like fried twinkies and bison sausage!)  While waiting for my husband and the boys to finish the purchase of some bison sticks I wandered over to a stand that featured annual and perennial flowers.  My attention was drawn to a beautiful scarlet flower commonly referred to as Bee Balm.  While picking out just the right container I was approached by a sweet older woman who was also drawn to the bee balm in my hand.  She commented on its beauty and asked what kind of flower it was. (This is the part where I had to talk to her!  Gasp!)  We discussed the merits of the flower and she prompted me to purchase it and thought she might do the same.  I did indeed make the purchase.  Now, before I go further, I need to say that this bee balm was approximately three to four feet tall.  So when I was holding onto the container, it towered over my head.  And, did I mention the flower was scarlet in color?  It was a sort of red flag waving above my head.

So, the family and I once again joined the wave of people walking up and down through the vendors, the boys happily munching their bison sticks and me with my towering red bee balm.  And then I heard behind me, "Oh, I think that's bee balm."  Turning, (against my inclination to avert my eyes and keep walking..) I greeted the individual and said, "Yes, it is bee balm."  I quickly pointed out the vendor so she could purchase one of her own.  On we went.  A young man and his friend, laughingly remarked that my beautiful flower looked like something from The Cat in the Hat, to which I had no response except a hearty chuckle and an agreeable nod.  Then I saw another woman with appreciation in her eyes and a smile on her face pointing to that red flag waving so high above my head.  She was excitedly speaking with her husband as we met.  And so it began again.  Another moment to be approachable, peppered with some greetablility.  All because of a scarlet red flower commonly referred to as bee balm.  Wonder what I will purchase next week?