The Rose

Phyllis Inspiration 19 Comments

Neal came inside from my garden and told me the most beautiful red rose was in full bloom. He planted this rose bush last year, and I really don’t remember it blooming. I went out to see it and decided since we were having storms, I would bring it in for the Easter weekend. The color was breathtaking.

Now those of you that know me, know I am not a fan of red roses. I love every other color in the rainbow but red. My mother loves them, as this was the first flower my dad gave her when they were dating.

For her, and everyone else in the world, they represent love. So, you are thinking—why does Phyllis not like red roses?

Red roses were the flower of choice when there were sad occasions. Funeral sprays, surgeries, and somber events. Yes, I know Valentine’s Day is not sad, but my first glimmer as a child was this huge spray at my grandmother’s funeral. Now I am talking about that black-red rose that was the order of the day. It’s funny how we remember things like that from our childhood.

In my garden are many shades of pink, coral, and yellow roses, along with many other flowers that I adore. Each has its own personality and color, making each of them a star.

Back to this red rose. The color of this rose is vibrant, and the rose has a zillion petals. It was standing alone in the garden in all its glory when I brought it inside. As each day of the Easter weekend passed, I found myself really loving this fabulous rose. It almost became my symbol of hope for our country, as I watched the reports of the virus and the uncertainty people are facing everywhere.

Hope—that is what me must all continue to have. Hope that the cure will come quickly, that lives will be saved, businesses will be protected so jobs will go on, health care workers will have strength, and that families who have had loss will be comforted in some small way.

I thank God for the red rose Neal planted. The timing of the perfect bloom and the reminder of hope that it brought to me was treasured. Please have hope today. We are all struggling in many ways. We don’t have answers or solutions, but hope will keep us going.

Love you all so much, and know that we are all in this together.

Comments 19

  1. Grandmother’s deep red rose bush was nearly as tall as the top of her dining room window. It was beautiful and the fragrance was heavenly. The original Crabtree and Evelyn’s “Evelyn” was one of my three favorite fragrances – perhaps due to that special memory.

    Today, white and yellow roses are my choice for a number of reasons, not the least of which because we used them for my parents’ 50th Anniversary celebration. {Our 50th is in late May. Our hope is that the worst of this virulence is behind us by then.}

    As God would arrange it, the last day I was in a store nearly six weeks ago, I was thrilled to unexpectedly find several miniature white roses and one yellow. Their delicate blooms have been a source of hope, joy and sweet remembrance amid this chaos.

    Thank you, Phyllis and Ribbon Friends, for your inspirational thoughts.

    May the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
    _____Philippians 4:7

  2. Phyllis, The RED rose, how beautiful, only wish I was there to smell it! I love red roses and all colors or roses…I use to have rose bushes of various colors outside my home on a golf course years ago and I picked them throughout the summer and placed them in small crystal vases in the living on my coffee table and the guest bathroom counter…company
    always commented and I just thanked God for providing them. How lucky we get to enjoy the flowers of spring and summer. Take care, and enjoy the beauty of that red rose!
    Stay safe to you and all your ribbon friends….God Bless
    California Carmel

  3. Red roses remind me of my Grammy. She had a climbing rose on the side of her house that was covered with beautiful red blooms, so I have wonderful memories of red roses. The first rose bush that I planted as a new gardener was a red rose called Mr. Lincoln. It usually only gets a couple of blossoms a year, but it has hung around for over 30 years.

    Thank you, Phyllis for reminding me of my Gram tonight. She has been gone for 55 years, but she will always be my “red rose”.

  4. It has been snowing all day here in eastern Ontario. Your beautiful rose reminded me that this too shall pass and beauty and hope endure always. Thank you, Phyllis, for your inspiring posts. We need them so much right now.

  5. I’m not a lover of roses, but, my late Mother sure loved them.
    She had a rose bush in our yard for each one of her children.
    I prefer sunflowers and daisies (yellow and white).
    Your red rose is stunning and even more so on Easter weekend.
    I love your posts. Please keep doing them.

  6. I don’t care for red roses either. My favorite color rose is yellow. It represents friendship. Hope…yes. We must place our hope in the Lord. Nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus; not even the Corona virus.

  7. Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not being seen. Hebrews 1:11
    Like you, I’m not a fan of red flowers, but one red rose can symbolize the blood Jesus shed for us all. Yours is beautiful – it may be a Mr. Lincoln rose.
    Stay well!
    Ps- my May June Victoria magazine came today! And oh my stars I can’t wait to read every word and dream with every magnificent photo! Such a gorgeous issue-well done y’all! Xoxo

  8. Thank you Phyllis for your comforting message. I also don’t particularly care for red roses, but the fact that your husband gave it to you , represents the love he shares with you.
    Stay safe,
    Lucy

  9. Hi Phyllis,

    Your gentle words of love and hope are a blessing to many of us who have either actually experienced or read about several tragedies this year with among other times.

    Just as each rose petal is nudged by the winds of change and time, yet the beauty of certain flowers, especially, will remain as expressions of love.

    Sincerely,
    One who remembers.

  10. I’m not a lover of red roses either. For some reason they never seem to live as long for me as other colored roses! I’m glad you liked this one though. May be you were feeling a bit sorry for it outside all alone and about to face a storm!

  11. It’s beautiful! I LOVE red roses. 🙂 When I married, I carried dark red roses. My 2nd house and now my 3rd (in SC) is painted a dark red (with white cabinets) called Dozen Roses by Behr Paint. 🙂 Though I do love other color roses, like pale pinks and yellows. My 1st house in MA had a gorgeous wallpaper with pink roses.

  12. Dear Phyllis,
    I am touched by your message of hope. May all of us be united in prayer as we read one another’s comments .

  13. The red rose is so beautiful. But I do understand your aversion to it, although the flower I do not care for is the calla lily. Always included in funeral bouquets, it represents sadness to me. The flower that always makes me happiest is a purple lilac, bringing back memories of a large lilac bush that grew outside my childhood bedroom window, and whose scent is still my favorite.

  14. I read this somewhere, wrote it down and have shared it with family and friends. Especially at this time we are in.

    HOPE WILL LEAD US ON THIS JOURNEY OF UNKNOWN DAYS

  15. I too Phyllis have never been fond of red roses. Perhaps for the same reasons as your.. But this red does seem different . And yes, symbolic of hope and faith and love. ( And how lucky you are to have any flowers blooming…right now , here in Toronto, I have chives and nothing else! )
    Stay safe and well.

  16. Thank you for sharing that 🙂 I always felt that way about red geraniums because my mother would always buy some to plant at the gravestones of loved ones on Memorial Day. But now I like them but I still stay away from the more common red ones. And they smell nice too. Again, thank you for sharing . 🙂

  17. Phyllis, your red rose is breathtaking! Thanks for sharing it’s beauty and the hope it represents. Faith is stronger than fear.

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