I walk into the store and see the tulips right away. Bright colors—red, yellow, purple. They feel happy. I don’t need many words for that. I just know.

I take my time picking them out. Sometimes words are hard for me now, since the aphasia. But this part is easy. I choose the ones that feel like her—warm, kind, full of light.

At the counter, I smile more than I speak. That’s okay. The flowers say what I want to say.

When I get home, I hand them to my wife. I watch her face. That moment… it’s everything. No struggle, no searching for words. Just love.

Every week, I do this. The tulips help me say what I still feel inside. And when I see them in the house, sitting quietly in a vase, I feel proud.

I may not always have the words—but I still have this.