Wednesday, June 11, 2008

a rose by any other name...


So my mom picked this little runt of a rose and sent it home with my kids a couple nights ago. When I saw it on the counter, I didn't hesitate to toss it right in the trash because I have a mental illness that forces me to keep all surfaces clean even if it means throwing away your precious belongings or my mom's paycheck. (Yes, that actually happened in high school.) Anyway, my kids noticed me giving the shrimpy little roseling the boot, and immediately intercepted. They asked if we had a vase to put it in, and I explained that since the rose was like 2.5 inches long, I doubted we had anything that would suffice. Leave it to my get-it-done-girl, Reilly, to find one, and I humored the kids by putting it in.

Cut to last night when I got home late, and was at the tail end of a panic attack rooted in a fear of being pulled over and arrested because I had had a glass of wine five hours earlier. As I set my keys down and began my nightly counter sweep, which I also do in the morning and midday, I saw this beautiful little engine-that-could rose staring up at me. Far be it from me to be connected to nature but it literally made me smile. This little fella was almost a goner and now it's brandished in a place of honour on my otherwise clean counter, making me ever-so-happy.

I planned to write, "Here is a rose my kids brought home," but, well, you all know me.

7 comments:

gail said...

lovely, and the whole story makes it so much better. btw, i was going to title my email to you 'a rose by any other name'!

Anonymous said...

:) so sweet!

Grandma B said...

The rose is beautiful and so is the vase your children put it in. Only a child could bring such a lovely thing to their mama. I remember when I was little, and had 25 cents. I wanted to buy my Mom some flowers, so went to a flower shop. When the owner saw I only had 25 cents, I bet he just about died inside. Instead, he gave me HUGH bouquest of sweet-peas for my Mom. I have never forgotten that.

Isn't it wonderful the things we learn from children. LOL

Sam said...

I always have some half dead flower on my kitchen window sill. And I'm IN TROUBLE if I throw it out before it is painfully obvious that it's life is over. It's usually my little football-playing, flower-loving son who brings them to me. And I love it!

I'm glad the kids interceded before it was too late for the rose! And even more pleased that you were able to find some joy in it!! Clean counters aren't always everything (most of the time, perhaps, but not always).

:)

BK said...

In keeping with the theme, you should post some pics of your trip to the Oregon Garden yesterday :)

Cheyenne said...

Of course you know I was just working on that...

GMTA!

Jess said...

Hey, the only reason that was a runt of a rose it cause i had to steal it from behind the fence at the park and i didn't have much room to work with, finger-wise.

but i knew it was a beauty.