David, Charlie, and I were out running errands the other day, and we ended up at Walmart then at Kroger—honestly when my family came across this Cherry Blossom hand soap that I just had to have. Not only because it was on sale but because I love trying new hand soaps. Even though David told me we didn’t need anymore Charlie said we did.
This wasn’t something I was specifically looking for. It just caught my eye while we were walking through the store, the way certain everyday things do when you’re already out and about picking up groceries and household basics. In our house, we go through hand soap pretty regularly because every sink gets used constantly, so I’m always watching for scents and colors that fit each space instead of just grabbing whatever is there.
This Cherry Blossom Hand Soap stood out right away.. Not just because of the scent, but because of the meaning behind it for me. Cherry blossoms have always been one of those things tied to Charlie. It’s something we’ve talked about over the years, seeing them in real life someday, maybe traveling to Washington, D.C. during bloom season or somewhere else where the trees are full and everything just feels like spring all around you.
It’s never been a planned trip or anything like that, just one of those quiet “someday” conversations that stays with you. So when I see anything cherry blossom, I tend to bring it home because it feels like a small connection to Charlie and something he would want in his own home one day.
I brought it home and put it in the upstairs bathroom first, which is usually where I test out new soaps before they make their way anywhere else in the house. But this one didn’t stay there long. It ended up downstairs in my restroom because my sister wanted to try it out.
Then it got moved to the kitchen. We do swap out the kitchen soap sometimes for more kitchen-friendly scents depending on what we’re cooking or what’s going on that week, but I still like having this one in rotation because of the color and the scent. It’s a soft pink, and something about that just makes the sink areas feel a little more pulled together without trying too hard. It’s also Suzzane’s favorite color.
In our home, hand soap is one of those small everyday staples that actually matters more than people think. It’s used constantly, throughout the day, by all of us. So it’s not just about having soap there, it’s about having something that feels good to use, smells nice without being overpowering, and fits into the flow of the house without becoming something you have to think about.
The scent of the Cherry Blossoms is light and floral, not heavy or strong. It doesn’t take over the room or linger in a way that becomes too much. It just shows up when you’re washing your hands and then fades back into the background. Clean, soft, and easy to live with day after day.
And what I’ve noticed most is that it just became part of our routine without any discussion. David uses it. Charlie uses it. I use it. It sits at every sink we’ve put it at and just gets used naturally, which is usually how I know something is working in our home. If we don’t have to think about it or replace it constantly or complain about it, it stays.
There’s also something about the cherry blossom itself that makes it feel a little more personal. It’s one of those scents and names that connects back to Charlie and Suzzane and those conversations we’ve had about wanting to see them in real life someday. Until that happens, it’s just one of those small things I bring into the house that ties everyday life back to those bigger hopes we talk about.
At this point, it’s just become one of our go-to soaps. Nothing complicated. Nothing overthought. Just something that fits into our home, shows up in every bathroom and even the kitchen, and quietly becomes part of the everyday rhythm of life here.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
