Rose Petals

Hello Hatters,

The great irony of the rose is the softness of the petals and its contrasting thorny stem. Even when we reach to smell its fragrance, special care is taken to hold the flower.

Beauty, fragrance, and closeness. Engaging our senses of sight, smell, and touch is easily practiced with the rose.

Is there some way that the other senses can be engaged? We don’t taste a rose and we don’t hear a rose. Yet....

Allow me to drift us into an imaginary place where roses provide the elegant detail, a class act. Essential no, yet extravagant. Is it a special dinner, an anniversary, a wedding or perhaps the celebration of a life passed?

Today, I wear my imagination hat where all five sense are experienced and accentuated with roses. Missing before but now present are the tastes of fellowship and sounds of food enjoyment.

In this place, I long to take it all in. With all my senses fully present, I am a sponge. Soak in life and notice the detail. Will you take time and join me to experience (not just smell) the roses?

Ok, I’m back here now and I know there are thorns with the roses in this life. The sharpness of hurts and disappointments touch all of us. No one is exempt from pain.

In my faith, thorns carry special significance. Jesus Christ knows the thorns as He wore them to the cross. My imagination hat carries me to His presence where roses have no thorns and all my sorrows are gone.

Until all our struggles are gone, may we thrive with rose petals all around, at least in our heads and with all our senses. Join me as we take the daily journey from ordinary to extraordinary.

Hugzzzzzz,

MT