In the Victorian language of flowers, the chrysanthemum carries a constellation of meanings: devotion, enduring love, and the kind of loyalty that outlasts seasons. In Japan, it is the flower of the imperial family, a symbol of longevity and renewal. In many cultures, it is the bloom brought to honor the departed, not in sorrow, but in reverence.

To me, the chrysanthemum feels like a quiet strength. It is the flower that remains open long after others have withered. A bloom that holds its shape through the cold.