Changing the way we take care of each other. This is our hope and our promise for Flower.
We want to amplify the connecting power of our smartphones to strengthen our personal networks. In human terms this means finding ways to bring people together in gestures of support.
As you may have read, co-founders Jean Miller Truelson and Palmer Truelson initially came to the definition of Flower as the result of their personal experience dealing with terminal illness, and a shared mission to focus on meaningful work.
And as we’ve explored the possibilities through research and our own experimenting, we’ve come up with some additional ways we think Flower will be instrumental in bringing people together.
For example…
Becoming Parents
New parents send Flowers to keep everyone updated about the baby and mom’s health. Their friends and family coordinate when to offer a ride or provide a meal. The information is timely and the support is effective.
Completing a Fitness Challenge
A man makes a New Year’s resolution that he’s going to run a 10k. He adds his friends to a Flower, where he posts his progress, and they cheer him on by adding funny videos, inspirational sayings, the occasional blackmail photo from his childhood, and healthy meals on the days when he’s had a hard workout.
Supporting a Depressed Friend
Violet’s friends notice that she’s not texting or calling them as much. They are concerned that she’s depressed, so they use a Flower to post stories that remind her she is part of a group of friends who care about her. They also schedule some girls nights and other events designed to get Violet out of the house and spending time with her friends.
Long-term Caregiving
A 65-year-old woman has a stroke. Her middle-aged children use Flower to schedule transportation to appointments and physical therapy, and organize her friends to provide meals so her husband doesn’t always have to cook.
Celebrating Across the Miles
Jasmine and her husband live across the country from her family. Her siblings are also spread out, with one overseas in a college-semester abroad program. Birthdays can be lonely, so Jasmine’s husband organizes a Flower with everyone contributing messages in their own unique way, with video, stories and even a hand-drawn picture from her niece. Suddenly everyone seems much closer.
Please share your stories
We hope you’ll share your stories with us, both happy and sad. We’d like to keep adding to this list. You will help us to shape the features that enhance the way the app is used, and give others ideas for how they can reach out to their friends and families with Flower.