Some photographs are beautiful because of what they show.
Others are beautiful because of the story behind them.
This is one of those photographs.
Every June, the fields around our home fill with wild daisies. They don’t cost anything. They aren’t rare. Most people simply walk past them without giving them a second thought.
For our family, though, they have become something much more than flowers.
A couple of afternoons each week after school, before we head home, my son and I stop for a few minutes and search for daisies. Together we pick a small bouquet for his mom.
Not because it is her birthday.
Not because it is Mother’s Day.
Not because we forgot something or did something wrong.
Simply because we love her.
When we arrive home and he proudly hands her those flowers, I always see the same smile. It is never about the value of the bouquet. It is about knowing that someone thought of her. Someone wanted her to feel loved on an ordinary day.
Those little walks have quietly become one of my favorite parts of being a father.
They remind me that raising a child is not only about helping with homework, teaching good manners, or encouraging big dreams. It is also about preparing him for the kind of man he will one day become.
As parents, we often think our children learn from what we tell them.
The truth is, they learn even more from what they see.
Children are always watching.
They notice how we speak to each other. They notice whether we listen or interrupt. They notice how we handle difficult days, disagreements, disappointment, and joy. They notice the small acts of kindness that many adults no longer even think about.
I know my son will probably forget many of the conversations we have over the years.
But I hope he never forgets these afternoons in the field.
Because every bunch of daisies carries a lesson that cannot be taught from a book.
One day he may have a girlfriend.
One day he may become a husband.
When that time comes, I hope he remembers that love should never be saved only for birthdays, anniversaries, or holidays. The healthiest relationships are often built through ordinary moments. A flower picked on the way home. A handwritten note. A warm hug after a difficult day. A simple “thank you.” A question asked with genuine interest. These small gestures may seem insignificant on their own, but together they become the language of love.
As his father, one of my greatest responsibilities is to teach him how to respect, honor, and care for a woman.
I cannot simply tell him to do that.
I have to show him.
He is learning what love looks like by watching how I treat his mother.
If he sees patience, he learns patience.
If he sees kindness, he learns kindness.
If he sees respect, he learns respect.
If he sees me listening when she speaks, helping without being asked, celebrating her successes, and standing beside her during difficult moments, those things slowly become normal to him.
That is the example I hope stays with him long after childhood is over.
Of course, no family is perfect.
We all have difficult days. We all make mistakes. We all say things we wish we could take back.
But even those moments become opportunities to teach.
When children see parents apologize, forgive one another, and work through disagreements with respect, they learn that love is not about never having problems. It is about choosing each other even when life is difficult.
Perhaps that is one of the greatest gifts we can give our children.
Not perfect parents.
But parents who keep choosing love.
Sometimes people think they must make grand gestures to show someone they care.
Yet, in my experience, love is usually built in much quieter ways.
It is found in everyday conversations.
Shared meals.
Holding hands.
Words of encouragement.
A cup of coffee made without being asked.
And sometimes…
Three simple daisies picked by a little boy on the way home from school.
One day those flowers will disappear.
The seasons will change.
My son will grow up.
These afternoons will become memories.
But if those small bouquets help him become a man who values kindness over pride, respect over selfishness, and love that is shown instead of merely spoken, then every walk through those fields will have been worth it.
Because sometimes the smallest traditions become the biggest lessons.
And sometimes three simple daisies can teach a lesson that lasts a lifetime.
GK
Georgi Kisyov – Reflections & Books 
I’ve always loved daisies. They don’t seem to be trying to impress anyone. They aren’t exotic, demanding, or dramatic. They simply bloom where God planted them, turning an ordinary patch of grass into something that makes you smile without quite knowing why.
We often admire the rare and spectacular, while heaven seems to delight in the faithful and ordinary. Jesus pointed our attention to lilies in the field, not because they were expensive, but because they quietly revealed the Father’s care (Matthew 6:28-30). Perhaps daisies preach a similar sermon.
The older I get, the more convinced I am that most of life’s deepest joys arrive dressed in ordinary clothes. A shared walk. A thoughtful word. Three wildflowers gathered by little hands. They may never make the headlines, but they often become the memories that outlive almost everything else.
Maybe that’s because love, like a daisy, doesn’t have to be complicated to be beautiful. Sometimes it simply has to keep showing up.
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Thank you so much for these beautiful words. I love how you described daisies as quietly blooming where God planted them—that is such a wonderful picture. I truly believe the simplest moments and gestures often become the ones we carry with us the longest. Thank you for adding another beautiful lesson to this story.
GK
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I actually love this post and what you are saying. It is important to teach boys and girls to respect one another. I want to personally thank you for posting it.
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Thank you so much for your kind words. They truly mean a lot to me. I completely agree—respect is something every child should learn, regardless of whether they are a boy or a girl. If this story encourages even one family to have that conversation, then it has done exactly what I hoped it would.
GK
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A beautiful post, Georgi. How to care for the women in the family – the spouse, sister, mother, auntie, granny – is not conveyed enough, particularly in one part of my culture. The nurturing aspect from males to females seems to have disappeared under a weight of grievances, gender politics and lack of real understanding of our roles and complimentary natures. All the while contemporary culture seems to pitch men and women at loggerheads so that, for many, there seems to be no solution and no marriage. Instead, a sense of continued isolation or a dystopian ‘pick and mix’ reshuffling of partners-on-a-sell-by-date, neither of which grows and develops the deeper roots needed to sustain families and communities. You are doing important work in your family and here, on the page. It gives me hope that somewhere, women are still loved and respected and boys are being raised to continue this tradition for the good of all.
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Thank you so much for this thoughtful reflection. I truly believe that respect, kindness, and care should never go out of style, no matter how much the world changes around us. We may not be able to change society overnight, but we can shape the atmosphere in our own homes, one small example at a time. Thank you for your encouragement—it gives me hope as well.
GK
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I re-blogged this post as it struck home to me. It should be required reading for every new parent. It’s beautiful! And the photo you included speaks volumes.
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Thank you so much! I’m truly honored that you felt it was worth re-blogging. It means a great deal to know that both the story and the photograph resonated with you. I sincerely hope this simple message encourages more parents to realize that the smallest everyday moments often become the biggest lessons.
GK
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LOVE this! Even as parents are never perfect, thank heavens the daisies are – free of any need to explain or justify – and so point us to what is known only to the heart to last a lifetime. Any woman lucky enough to be with your son later in life will be blessed as well as so many others who will recognize something – something about him – lingering in the air – and never know it’s the scent of those daisies from long ago.
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Thank you so much for these beautiful words. I especially love your thought about the “scent of those daisies” lingering long after the flowers are gone. That is exactly my hope—that these small moments today quietly shape the kind of man he will become tomorrow. Your comment truly touched my heart.
GK
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I taught my son to respect others too. Even as I long for the days when both father’s and mothers taught their daughters to respect men…
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Thank you for sharing that. I truly believe respect should go both ways—it is something every child should learn, regardless of whether they are a boy or a girl. When we teach our children to value, honor, and care for one another, we give them the foundation for healthy relationships throughout their lives.
GK
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once again I sm speechless. Im going to remember three daisies forever and particularly the man who through example is showing an as yet young man how true love resoect honor care appreciation works. Three little daisies that will forever be etched on his mind because you gave lovingly and your dear eide accepted graciously. May the beautiful lessons you and your wife embody become a part of your son’s soul. You and your wife are truly a wonderful example of love commitment affection fir your family and others. Brava Georgi. Blessings to your lovely family.
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Thank you from the bottom of my heart for such beautiful and encouraging words. It means so much to know that this simple story touched you so deeply. My wife and I can only hope that these little everyday moments become part of our son’s heart as he grows. Thank you for your blessings—they are received with gratitude.
GK
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