Roses for Mother’s Day
When I was a kid, every year on the Saturday before Mother’s Day, my maternal grandmother would drop in with a pail of fresh roses she’d picked from the rosebushes in her yard. She’d leave a red rose for each of us to wear on our lapels at church on Mother’s Day, and she always wore a white one on her own lapel. According to the tradition (at least in our family – I’m not sure that anyone else ever actually did this), you wore a red rose while your mother was living and you wore a white rose after your mother was gone.
It’s been years since I’ve actually worn a rose on Mother’s Day. After my sweet grandmother died in 2001 at the age of 85, my mother never tried to continue the tradition. First, none of us grow roses like Grandmother did. And second, I know my mother never wanted to wear a white rose.
But every Mother’s Day, I think about Grandmother and those roses she tended and brought to us every year. For her, it wasn’t just about the tradition of wearing the rose; it was about remembering to honor our mothers.
I feel blessed that if I did still wear a rose on Mother’s Day, it would be a red one. Instead of wearing a rose for my mom today, I had her over for lunch. And because I’m a mom too now, Lee cleaned up the kitchen. And along with the cute painted flowerpots and magnets the kids made for me at school and Sunday school, I also got a gift card for a pedicure, manicure and massage. I’ll take that over roses any day.
Happy Mother’s Day!
Thanks, Alexandra. At the time, it didn’t seem like a big deal. But looking back, it is a fond memory of my grandmother. Thanks for reading!
This is a lovely story for Mother’s Day! Family traditions are important. What a lovely family tradition involving roses!