I have been trying to come up with a Valentine's theme all week, and so far I keep coming back to my mini roses. My husband gave them to me for Valentine's Day three or four years ago and I was pleased with such a thoughtful gift that would last longer than a bouquet or chocolate. Here is a picture of one of the last times I had a bloom:
Now, mini roses are real roses, but they are often called "throwaway roses" because people don't know how to look after them. I was determined to make my roses thrive and over the years I have spent many hours tending to them, spraying them for bugs (sigh), pruning, water and repotting. This past summer I put them outside where they acquired a new kind of bug, alas. But I think they enjoyed the sunshine and their new terra cotta pots.
Unfortunately I lost one of the four to cold. I rather foolishly thought that something so delicate and hot house grown could overwinter outside. One bloomed for a final time in November indoors and hopefully I'll see new blooms this summer.
There have been many times when I thought I killed the roses otherwise - such as when all their leaves fell off - but somehow they always bounced back seemingly better than ever. It was my reward for constant devotion and faith in them. They are high maintenance, but they were given with love and as such I cannot be impatient or resentful at them :-)
I suppose what I'm saying is that the mini roses are a living metaphor for the love I experience in my life from friends, family and people I haven't even met :-) If you ignore it, it withers. But if you treat it tenderly, amazing things happen. It's easy for the over-commercialization of Valentine's Day to make people feel unloved, and I think that's so sad. It makes people forget what love actually is supposed to be. I'm not sure what else I can say, except friends, that I love you :-) I love it when you create art and blog, and I love you all for just who you are <3
