Top 5 Essays on Sunflowers You Should Definitely Read

In a vast field on the prairie, a sunflower gently rests, soaking in the perfect moment of the morning light. The flower inhales the fresh, delicate fragrance of dew drops that have formed at dawn. The petals sway softly as the sunflower sings its sweet song.

As the sound of a green bee’s wings approaches, the sunflower listens intently. The bee praises the flower, whispering compliments it’s shared every day—telling the sunflower it’s the most beautiful in the entire prairie. The golden hue of its petals is the brightest and most refreshing the bee has ever seen. The green leaves represent all the plants in the field. The flower’s fragrance is sweet and intense. The nectar of the sunflower is the purest the bee has ever tasted. After the daily praises, the bee tells the sunflower about its adventurous travels—from a long journey from the northern lands to the southern meadows, where each place had unique and beautiful flowers. Some travels are easy, while others are filled with storms. The bee shares stories about the vast world outside, things the sunflower cannot even imagine.

The sunflower falls in love with the bee because of its captivating stories. Each day, the sunflower lives on admiration, on the tales the bee tells. After every glance and story, the bee collects nectar, taking the best nectar from the sunflower, the finest sweetness the world has to offer. The sunflower trusts the bee deeply. As the hot summer approaches, the creatures of the prairie prepare for migration, with some storing food. Many plans are in place to escape the upcoming danger. The bee tells the sunflower it needs more nectar to survive the heat. Unable to migrate north with the swarm due to various reasons, and unwilling to leave the sunflower, it decides to take more nectar every day to prepare for the upcoming heat. The sunflower, however, is running low on nectar and fears it won’t have enough to survive. After giving nectar every day, it worries it may not last through the heat.

The bee, frustrated, accuses the sunflower of being selfish, only thinking of itself. It chastises the sunflower, telling it that it stayed for the flower, and now it acts as if it cannot share. Without listening to the sunflower’s words, the bee leaves, deciding to find other flowers. The sunflower feels sad, not wanting this to happen. It has been so close to the bee for so long, and it doesn’t know how to live without it. Unable to appreciate nature’s beauty, it feels as though it cannot survive without the bee. The sunflower wilts and closes its petals, its leaves drooping. The sunflower gradually loses its strength.

Suddenly, a breeze sweeps by, bringing something unexpected. The sunflower feels as though something has covered it, and to its surprise, it discovers a cloak of invisibility surrounding it.

One day, the bee returns, searching for the sunflower. It cannot find it and assumes the sunflower has died due to the heat. The bee tries to charm other flowers with the same sweet words, using its innocent, appealing language to steal nectar. The bee calls the flowers ugly and spiny, claiming that only the one it’s feeding from is the most beautiful, the sweetest. It uses all its tricks to gather nectar from flowers, from the wild ones to the tiniest blossoms.

Unknowingly, the sunflower witnesses all of this. It cries, deeply saddened by what has happened. The sunflower grieves because it lost something precious, because it trusted the wrong one. It mourns for the hope it placed in what it thought was an everlasting bond. The sunflower curses itself for offering the finest nectar to a bee that does not deserve it. Yet, after the tears, the sunflower feels thankful, realizing the true nature of the bee. As the weather grows hotter, the surrounding flowers wither, but the sunflower, protected by the cloak, stands firm.

As the heat intensifies, the breeze gently returns, bringing hope to the prairie. The sunflower is now the only flower remaining, the sole survivor. The bee arrives, exhausted from days of not feeding, unable to fly any longer. It falls to the ground near the sunflower, still speaking sweet words. The sunflower now knows what is real and what is not. It wishes the bee would learn its lesson. The bee, weak and remorseful, whispers its last words: 'I was wrong. Please forgive me, beautiful flower. I was greedy and failed to appreciate the love you gave me. I’m sorry.'

Author: Asmallcorner

You once told me so much about the beautiful sunny days, the days when you could wander through that sunflower garden, feeling calm and smiling.

You also shared with me the rainy days, how those sunflowers had to endure, strong and resilient. Then the rain would pass, and your heart would return to peace, just like those flowers reaching towards the sun to welcome the warm rays.

You, the girl I deeply cherish. But your soul... where did it go? You say you're fine, that everything is okay, and you smile, but my heart aches with every smile you force.

You just ended a long chapter. I hesitate to talk about it, but with the thoughts I carry, my heart cannot hide the truth. You loved them, deeply, and together, you two were the couple everyone admired. You said you were happy, and seeing you like that, I felt happiness too.

Then, seasons passed. I saw you less and less, perhaps because you were busy with happiness, and I was busy avoiding the truth. But how could I avoid it, my dear? Can reason ever defeat the heart? Once again, I lost the battle to my own feelings.

I found you on a sunny afternoon, the sky stretched wide and blue. You were there, shy and hesitant. Perhaps I had made a mistake, but no, it turned out you had just broken up.

You were heartbroken, in pain. But seeing you, I realized you were hurting tenfold. I didn't ask for the details, just sought to comfort you. And you, you said you were fine, that you were strong, but I could see you were holding back tears.

My dear, why must love be about giving everything, only to leave you with wounds? You carried the difficulties, the broken pieces, the memories, the happiness, and the pain. They left, but left behind so much—only you, gathering it all, wondering if you could carry the weight any longer.

Then, slowly, the brokenness started to fade, and peace began to return. For the first time, after all this time, I saw you smile again. Perhaps you found a purpose to move on, and maybe you found a reason to bury those pains deep where the sun could never reach. You truly are strong now, my dear.

I liken you to a sunflower, because like the sunflower, you always turn toward the sun no matter what. Just as you, you overcome everything, finding your way to the light to reignite the hope that had wilted after the storm.

I am happy when you are happy. I hope you will always be like these sunflowers, no matter the challenges or the pain, always finding a bright light to guide you forward. I also hope you stay joyful, so that your pure heart isn't tainted by sorrow, and so your heart doesn’t fade from the pain.

You must stay happy, because you are as beautiful as those flowers. Don’t let the past rob you of your peace. I hope it won't be that way.

For I care, and my heart aches for you so much.

Dan | Sent from the Hall of Dreamers group

This article uses the image of the sunflower to discuss the ideals of human life. Like many other flowers, the sunflower carries its own meaning and message to life. Just like people, no two are alike. The important thing is that we live our lives like the sunflower.

Among all the flowers, the sunflower plays a part in decorating our world. It may not be the most beautiful or delicate flower, but it has its own voice, one that no other flower can replace. This flower symbolizes ambition and the love for life!

In the 1990s, 'Voluntary' was a beloved and popular song. I often heard my father sing it during school events like opening and closing ceremonies or year-end celebrations. He was my school principal for many years.

In our yard, we grew sunflowers, with bright yellow petals and slightly darker yellow centers. I would wait for them to produce seeds, which were a popular snack during Tet. However, due to climate conditions, the flowers bloomed beautifully but didn’t yield seeds, only empty ones. Sunflowers are known to lean slightly when they bloom, turning towards the sun with radiant yellow petals. That's why the song 'Like Sunflowers Facing the Sun' (a song by To Vu, lyrics by Hai Nhu) exists. In addition to sunflowers, we also grew rooster flowers, cinnamon flowers, roses, jasmine, and many other plants in our garden.

Sunflowers are no longer planted in our garden, but they were a part of my childhood memories that have stayed with me. I moved to the capital to attend university, bought a book about the Dutch artist Van Gogh, and marveled at his vibrant sunflower painting, with flames of color that seemed to burn on the canvas. Sunflowers are not just plants in the garden; they are a symbol of wonder, a reflection of the artist’s soul and desires!

Trinh Cong Son, a talented Vietnamese musician, wrote hundreds of famous songs that are beloved by the public. People not only admire his lyrics but also his character, demeanor, soul, and even the hidden aspects of his private life. During his lifetime, Trinh called his lover 'Sunflower'. Her real name was Ngo Vu Dao Anh, a girl from Hue with a deep and meaningful relationship with the musician. I haven't read all of the love letters Trinh wrote to Dao Anh, but the publication of 300 of these letters a decade after his passing, in the book 'Love Letters to One Person', showed how deeply his generation valued love and life.

For the majority of the public, Trinh Cong Son is an exceptional and sacred figure. Just mentioning his name or recalling his lyrics about love, human relationships, and his philosophical musings about life reveals so much about the soul and worldview of this gifted musician. Throughout his life, many women had close ties to his music and personal life. His relationship with Dao Anh, calling his lover by a name so closely tied to a beautiful and sacred flower, shows how special their love was. Trinh Cong Son became a musical legend, not just in Vietnam but across the globe. He is the only Vietnamese musician listed in the 'Encyclopedie de tous les pays du monde'. The Washington Post (USA) once described him as 'Vietnam’s Bob Dylan,' a testament to his influence and reach.

These days, it’s rare to hear songs about sunflowers sung on both professional and amateur stages. Time passes, and the perspectives and lifestyles of young people change with circumstances. My father no longer has the opportunity to sing his favorite songs. Programs like 'Pride' still feature songs such as 'Voluntary', 'Thank You Sister Vo Thi Sau', 'Marching with Him', 'Going to School', 'East-West Truong Son', and 'A Small Spring'.

Spring arrives, and many sunflower fields have become perfect backdrops for photos. When taking pictures with sunflowers, have we ever thought, 'If I were a flower, I’d be a sunflower'? No one says it out loud, but the ideals of people are always directed towards what is pure and noble. It’s not just sunflowers; people also take photos with lotus flowers in summer, milk flowers in autumn, or daisies in winter. If you asked me what my answer to 'If I were a flower, I would be...?' would be, I’d say, 'I would be myself.' But what does it mean to truly be oneself? Sometimes, we are unsure. Being oneself means knowing your strengths and weaknesses and striving to improve. But when asked what 'improvement' means, I would say it’s being like we are now. We live with others, doing what we love, and pursuing our dreams.

We can’t compare whether sunflowers are more beautiful than lotus, chrysanthemum, or milk flowers. The only thing we can say is that you are the most beautiful in someone’s eyes, and that makes you a flower. And once you are a flower, be like the sunflower. You are most beautiful when you are yourself. Because nature created you that way. Nature is always fair. The milk flower has a distinct fragrance, the lotus is easy to approach, chrysanthemums are lovable, and roses are noble. The beauty of the sunflower lies in its representation of our ideals. It’s not about dazzling brightness like the sun, nor standing above everyone else. The simple truth is, a flower is just a flower.

Thanhtt

To live is to always face the sun, the source of light, truth, and passion—many virtues that people can think of. In nature, most living things rely on the sun to survive, but only the sunflower worships it so devotedly, constantly seeking it no matter where it is. Every single day, the sunflower turns tirelessly from east to west. At night, when the sun sets, it quietly turns back to the east to wait, knowing that in the morning, the sun will rise again. I’ve often thought the sunflower might be foolish—why turn its neck every day, since the sun’s light will reach everything anyway? Does it really need to be so obsessive, to show its admiration so fervently? After all, the sun is the eternal god, the life-giver to all. If it disappears, everything ends. So, worshipping the sun is a natural order for all creatures. It seems that the sunflower’s devotion has become so extreme that it’s even named after it. Its appearance even resembles its idol, truly...

In my family, my uncle is as devoted to sunflowers as this. He has loved these flowers for decades.

When the subsidy system ended and transportation became more accessible, with the free purchase of gasoline and other goods, flowers, especially for Tet, started flowing more freely into our area. At the old market by my hometown’s Trảng Bàng district, near the Vàm Trảng river, boats brought flowers from the Mekong Delta to sell for the Tet season. If you think of the famous flower markets in Saigon like Bình Đông or along Trần Xuân Soạn Street today, that’s how it was. My uncle fell in love with a pair of sunflowers there, and his love for them has never stopped.

When my aunt teased him about his quirky affection for sunflowers, he would smile quietly. At first, he explained it simply—he loved the bright yellow color of the flowers. But over the years, his reasons grew more elaborate. He began admiring their strong stems, the value of their seeds, and the deeper meanings they held in love and human relationships…

From the first batch of seeds for Tet, which I think came from Sa Đéc, to the rows of flowers about to bloom this year, my uncle has become a sunflower expert without even realizing it. Soon, the grandchildren started to buy him sunflowers from new varieties—ones imported from Taiwan—so he could add them to his collection. He treated them carefully, always saving seeds for the next season. Gradually, whenever sunflowers came up in conversation, people thought of my uncle. He became the sunflower champion.

When my grandmother was still alive, during Tet, at her house, there was always a patch of sunflowers for us to take pictures. My uncle always had seeds ready, and if anyone wanted to learn how to grow them, he would patiently teach. If someone asked to take some seeds to roast, he’d give them a gentle tap on the head. Then my grandmother passed away, and the family gatherings became less frequent. Now, we wait for the anniversary of my uncle’s death in the first month of the lunar year to meet up. Since then, my uncle has been planting sunflowers later each year, about 15 days behind the usual schedule.

Now, his sunflowers don’t bloom for Tet anymore. He saves their brilliance for us. On the day of the Kitchen Gods’ journey to heaven, we received a message on our phones. There was a picture of my uncle sitting with his sunflowers in bloom, with a note saying: ‘Make sure you pick up a pair for Tet, this new variety is short and has durable flowers.’ Some of us worried that there wouldn’t be any flowers left by the 15th day of the lunar new year, but he assured us, ‘Don’t worry, when I’m gone, that’s when you’ll run out of flowers to take pictures with.’ It turns out, all these years, we’ve been taking pictures with his sunflowers not just to enjoy his love for them, but to receive the love he had for us, his family.

Looking back at old photos from previous years, each Tet has its own folder. Every sunflower captured alongside smiling faces—each one glowing and radiant as we visited my uncle’s home. Suddenly, I felt a lump in my throat and longed to run and hug him. Our most beautiful sunflower will always smile back, showing off its four missing teeth!

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