A Little Box of Gratitude

Mei unlocked the door to her brand-new shop in Ipoh, feeling both excited and terrified. Waiting on the counter was a gorgeous congratulatory flower box. Navy roses, soft white blooms, a lucky cat, and a clear balloon with golden blessings. She knew instantly where it came from: White On White, the best florist in Malaysia. She took a slow breath, feeling the weight of the moment settle into her chest. Today wasn’t just the start of a business. It was the start of a life she once didn’t believe she deserved.

Mei walked toward the flower box, her eyes stinging unexpectedly. She didn’t expect flowers to make her emotional, but somehow, this arrangement did. It wasn’t just pretty but it carried the very things she had been feeling but didn’t know how to say out loud.

Blue roses reminded her of the calm she tried to maintain over the last few months while signing documents, renovating the shop, and pouring everything she had into making her dream real. The smaller white flowers stood for new beginnings. She remembered her mother’s voice telling her, “Start small, but start bravely.” That sentence carried her through nights she doubted herself. And the lucky cat… That one made her laugh softly.

Her late father used to collect them. Every time he gifted her one, he would say the same thing:
“May luck chases you wherever you go.”

As Mei traced the edge of the balloon, she realised the bouquet wasn’t simply wishing her luck, it was reminding her of something she hadn’t allowed herself to feel fully.

Gratitude.

Gratitude for the friends who helped transport furniture at midnight.
For the mother who brought hot meals when she forgot to eat.
For the customers who pre-ordered before the shop was even ready.
For the teachers, mentors, and strangers who left footprints on her journey without even realising it.

Gratitude, she realised, wasn’t silent at all.
It was loud in the way people showed up for her.
It was loud in the sacrifices quietly made.
It was loud in this very box of flowers which carried love as much as it carried colour.

When Mei finally unlocked the door and stepped into her new space, she didn’t enter alone. She carried every kindness, every helping hand, every word of encouragement.

And the flowers?
They stood proudly at the entrance, almost as if they were saying,
“This dream is yours, but you didn’t build it alone.”