Memory of Roses, Mom

This is Ron with your Motivational Message:

As far back as I can remember there has not been a place I’ve lived where there were not roses in the garden. Let’s just say, it’s my favorite flower. This fond affection towards this particular flower stemmed from the experiences that I had with my mother. She, too, loved the wonders of its soft, delicate petals balanced against its thorny stems.

I recall, as a child, watching her create lovely bouquets to adorn our dining table. As with any good relationship she took time and care to nurture growth. She carefully pruned, deadheaded, fertilized, and watered her roses, paying careful attention to its needs. She would say, “Roses are like friends. You get out as much as you put in.”

Indeed, it takes time; you don’t just give up on them. Struggles in life are like the seasons to a rose. There is a time when its beauty is brilliant and heavy with perfume, but when the seasons turn they are left to wilt and withdraw. Unfortunately, I have allowed a lot of my relationships to wither and die. I have neglected to nourish them and instead have given little attention and care. Despite this, I desire a vibrant, meaningful experience with another person.

With each stroke of my brush against the canvas, I visualized the perfect rose and once again I was reminded of the wisdom my mother had imparted to me. While my neck became sore from hours of careful attention, a tremendous burst of color played across the canvas creating the radiance of a rose.

It took me nearly 50 hours to paint the roses that I’ve enclosed in this blog. Not a day went by that I didn’t think of my mother and how she would have enjoyed my painting. I miss her probably more than anything else, but then again, I miss a lot of things: relationships, friends, people that I’ve neglected or hurt. I ask myself: is there a friendship I need to attend to? Is there a phone call I should make—a connection long overdue? I must remember that like a rose, friendships or love must be physically nurtured; a connection face-to-face, heart-to-heart.

I ask you to remember, as well, that love involves care, attentiveness, compassion, consideration, forgiveness, time, energy, laughter and tears. Lay your technology aside and tend to your roses. They are waiting for you.

To your inspiration,

Ron