A simple morning phone call about a blooming flower has struck a chord online after a Reddit user shared how it changed the way they see their father.
“My dad called me at 7 a.m. to tell me his peony opened. I’m 31 and I finally get it,” the user wrote in Reddit’s popular gardening community.
The user shared that his father has been fixated on his garden for nearly two decades, and they had always assumed it was because their dad had retired.
“This morning my phone goes off at 7:02am. ‘Cant talk long, just wanted to tell you the big peony in the side yard opened. It’s the pink one. Have a good day.’ Click,” the post continued. “I’m 31 years old. I have one successfully kept basil plant on my windowsill. I have spent 0 minutes of my life caring about peonies. And I sat there with my phone in my hand and thought ‘aw, hell yeah, peony pink one. I’m about to go buy a peony. To my dad: I finally get it.”
At the time of publication, the post had amassed more than 22,000 upvotes and over 600 comments.
“It’s lovely that when he sees such a beautiful flower bloom, the first thing he thinks is to call you and tell you about it,” one top comment read, earning nearly 9,000 upvotes.
Many users echoed similar sentiments, sharing their own memories of parents who found joy in small, everyday observations.
“I just teared up too,” one user wrote. “I only met my dad a few times. He was a little rough around the edges, a biker who smoked and drank and was pretty gruff. We didn’t speak for many years. When I went to his house after he died, there were flowers planted all over the yard. I was shocked that he did that. I wish he could call me and tell me about his irises and spider lilies coming up.”
Another commenter said their late father used to regularly share small updates from his daily life. “He’d call or text me about flowers, animals, cars, whatever tickled his fancy that he wanted to share. He’s been gone since 2012 and I see things every day that I wish I could share with him.”
A third user described carrying on a similar family tradition after their mother moved from a longtime home. “One of the last things I did before closing was dig up a few of her favorite plants. We moved last year and her peonies, hostas, roses, lily of the valley, and iris are all up again. I’m so excited.”
Others shared more lighthearted, but equally personal reflections. “My dad sends pictures of the squirrels and birds on his porch every day,” one wrote. “I get it, dad, he’s the best.”
Another commenter added a note of caution and sentiment.
“Make sure that voicemail is backed up somewhere. Someday when he is gone, you’ll want to be able to listen to it.”
BRB, we need a Kleenex.
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