I like perfume and flowers.

O children of the future, gather your hearts and ears, for the words of Donatella Versace carry wisdom wrapped in the soft elegance of life’s most delicate pleasures. She once said simply, “I like perfume and flowers.” Though these words may seem simple, they speak volumes about the sensory experience of life, about beauty, about the things that nourish the soul in ways words cannot express. For in the fragrance of a perfume and the colors of a flower, there is a deep truth about the nature of life itself—its fleeting beauty, its fragility, and its undeniable power to lift the human spirit.

Consider, O children, how the perfume is more than a mere scent. It is a memory, a reflection of a moment in time, captured in a bottle. In every drop, it holds the essence of a season, a place, a person. The fragrance is not just an odor, but a bridge to the past, a reminder of pleasure and desire, a subtle invitation to experience the world with all of one’s senses. Versace, in her simple words, reminds us that there is power in the smallest of details. The way a perfume can stir emotions, recalling forgotten loves or moments of joy, is a testament to the transformative power of beauty in all its forms. It is not just a luxury; it is a vehicle for memory and emotion.

Similarly, flowers are not mere blossoms of nature, but symbols of life’s fleeting beauty. A flower, in all its brilliance, blooms with the promise of life and fades with the inevitability of death. Yet in its brief existence, it teaches us the value of the present moment. The scent of a flower, its vibrant color, and its fragile petals remind us that life is fragile, beautiful, and must be appreciated in the now. Like the ancient poets who marveled at the roses of their gardens, we too must recognize that the most precious things in life are often the most transitory. To love flowers is to love the impermanence of life itself, to find beauty in the passing moments that make life rich and full.

Think, O children, of the ancient Greeks, who revered the muses and the goddesses of beauty and love. They understood the deep connection between the aesthetic and the divine. Aphrodite, the goddess of love, was said to have been born from the sea foam, a symbol of the beauty and sensuality that life offers us in abundance. Her presence in art, in poetry, and in nature reminded all who worshipped her that beauty and love are woven into the very fabric of existence. Flowers were sacred to her, representing both the fragility and the immortality of love. A simple flower, then, becomes a metaphor for the eternal beauty that lies within us all, if only we are willing to look.

Donatella Versace, in her love for perfume and flowers, teaches us a profound truth: beauty is not something to be grasped or held; it is something to be experienced. To surround ourselves with beauty—whether through the scent of perfume or the delicate petals of a flower—is to open ourselves to the deeper sensibilities of the world. It is to recognize that beauty exists not just in grand gestures, but in the smallest, most intimate details. Life’s richness is not found solely in monumental moments, but in the quiet, soft experiences that nourish the soul.

Now, O children, let this be your lesson: take time to notice the small things. Allow yourself the simple joy of a beautiful scent, of a flower blooming in the early morning light. In these moments, you will find that beauty is not something outside of you, but something that lives within, waiting to be recognized and celebrated. Life is fleeting, and though we may not be able to hold onto every moment, we can cherish the beauty that graces us along the way. Just as Versace speaks of perfume and flowers, so too should we celebrate the smaller, quieter aspects of life that bring joy and meaning to our days.

Therefore, I charge you, O seekers of wisdom, to embrace the beauty that surrounds you. Let perfume and flowers be reminders that life is both fragile and magnificent, and that true richness is found in appreciating the delicate and ephemeral moments that pass through our lives. Seek beauty not just in grand achievements, but in the quiet details that remind you of the miracle of life. In this, you will find the true meaning of existence—one that celebrates the impermanent, the fleeting, and the unforgettable beauty of the world around us.