ROSES

My husband recently brought me a bouquet.
He does that every so often. Randomly.
Often it is a bouquet of roses.
Roses smell wonderful.
Roses remind me he cares about me.

These began as tight yellow buds tipped with a blush of orange. 

Color, size, and stem length may vary but a rose is a rose - right?
You know what I mean when I say a rose.  You get a mental image.

This rose appears to have 'doubled' petals - 2 in the place of each one.

A few years ago we planted some miniature roses out front. They are reds and pinks and whites in color. I have observed them grow and have begun to notice a rose is not just a rose.

Each rose seems to have great variety every year in the shape of the buds, the way the petals unfold, the final opening of the flower, the shades of color from bud to bud and even how long each one blooms.

One year there was even a blossom with two centers nestled in the cup of the outer petals. This bouquet has one of those. And it has another flower that is almost - but not fully, two.

Many of this bouquet have a tendency to double centers.

The extra full center on this one swirls but does not quite divide off ...

They may be affected by many things.

Perhaps the center of  this one was injured by a bug ...

Some centers swirl like a spiral.

Some are more round like a ball.

This one, below, appeared more 'untidy' and disorganized.
It is opening more uniformly 'like a rose' than the others.

Roses, I have begun to notice, are very unique ...
Sort of like - feel free to make your own analogy -
I am taking time to notice my roses.
Some I dry and enjoy seeing over and over again.

A friend happened by and remarked such a gift - the bouquet -  is worth giving yourself a reminder about - perhaps to jot it down, or make a journal entry. I pointed out my dried roses.  They are my reminders. I use them for crafts and there is a steady ebb and flow but I remember the pleasure of the gift and the giver. I don't like surprises but he can 'surprise' me with flowers any time - he likes to do that.

Sometimes when I feel crabby I see them and remember.
I remember many good things.
I surprise myself and forget to be out of sorts.
I forget unimportant trifles.

And I remember ...
I remember what is most important.