A love story, a memory of my dad, something I would like to share...
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A love story, a memory of my dad, something I would like to share...
I dont really know why I am writing this but sometimes you just want to share something that means something to you.
My moms first mothers day my dad gave my mom a rose, they planted it outside of their little mobile home that was on my grandparent's property. It was a beatiful burgendy red w/ a wonderful scent. He always believed that a person with faith and love would see a rose a day, dried or fresh or in a book or in a cloud. He gave it to my mom as a gesture of how much he loved and cared for her.
When they had saved enough for a down payment, the rose and my two older brothers moved to our first and only home together. They replanted the rose and dad cared for it, he was sure it wouldnt make the trip but with care it thrived. When my dad moved into that house he sweared he would never move again, it was sadly a prophesy. I was born the next year and we lived the ideal suburban family life. My few memories of him is his carpenters crack when gardening and him tending the rose.
When dad became ill when I was 8 I really was too young to understand how serious things were. Two years of in and out of the hospital ended in 1978 when he passed away at 45 on a rainy spring day. I really didn't know he was dying so the shock was terrible. I can remember when we buried him the sky was so blue, I couldnt grasp both the loss and the blueness of that sky. Strangely that rose comforted me, I remember it's color and it's scent. I remember returning to it again and again. I took care of it, pruned it, fertilized it, sprayed it, cried on it. But things got tough, really tough, mom lost the house, we tried to transplant the rose but it couldnt make the move, I still see it in my minds eye, dead. By then mom had forgotten the name of it, I had lost the rose.
The years went by, I struggled, faith was lost and regained, happiness was lost and regained. Love came for me and children. A suicide of a loved one almost drove us to bankruptcy and divorce. My mom had a massive stroke. We moved over 6 times in the first 10 years. Financial stuggles we had plenty of. All through this time I searched for that rose. I spent hours in the Portland rose gardens, miles spent walking in neighborhoods bending over fences to see if the rose I saw was the rose I so missed.
Last May at the age of 36 we were finally in a position to buy our first home. In the fall I planted over 200 daphodils and tulips in my front yard. I had spent too many years in rentals where I didnt want to plant anything because I knew we would leave them. On mothers day this year I bought 10 roses, two of them red, in the vain hope that one of them would be *the* one. I knew none of them were.
Sunday I went to Kmart to pick up flower pots. They had roses on sale in the big gallon buckets. My 4yo and dh wandered through the isles, Zach asking me to pick him up to smell the roses. I bent over a beatiful burgendy red rose and smelled. It was like a angels voice, it was him and his rose. A tear streamed down my face, I picked up the rose and took it home. My dad gave me one heck of a gift after 27 years of him being gone. I am not going to say that that rose and I will never move again but I will always have one growing where ever I am.
For those of you who are curious, the name of the rose is Crimson Glory, I have looked it up on the internet, none of the pictures show the correct color, it shows up way too red, or give it justice, I wish I had a digital camera to show all of you exactly how this rose looks. It is a very pretty rose, but probably part of it's beauty is personal. Thank you all for listening to my story.
What a beautiful story. Being someone who has lost a parent, I can feel your story, thanks for sharing.
That was a beautiful story indeed. I am just so happy for you that you found your rose!!
that is so beautiful ..wipes tears from eyes ... im so happy u found it and i know the comfort u get from that rose and knowin ur dad is there with u in ur new home is so special... big hug to ya
What a wonderful story in remembrance of your dad. You two must have been close. ((((hugs))))
What a beautiful story!
That was just beautiful. Thank you for sharing your story with us. (((HUG)))
Beautiful! I'm sure your father was holding it as you leaned to smell it's wonderful scent.
Ah, that was beautiful and bittersweet. Thank you for sharing your story and so eloquently, too, I might add. I have tears in my eyes.
Your story made memories of my parents come to mind and the many "visits" I have from them since they left me years back.
I have tears also. I'm so glad you found "your rose!"
Beautiful story!
Tears here too.
I am glad that you found your rose .
you have a wonderful way with words, I have tears and goose bumps. Thank you for sharing and I'm so happy you found your rose.
Kristin, that is a very beautiful and touching story, send it into a women's magazine or gardening magazine, it deserves to be published and should be shared with more people.
Thanks for sharing with us.
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