Antique roses

We live in a house that is more than 100 years old, on a piece of property just under 2 acres, with many large trees as old as the house, or older. We also have plants and flowers that come back each year, which is fortunate, because my thumbs are brown rather than green. 

My three favorite flowers that grow at our house are the four o’clock that blooms around my back porch, the honeysuckle vines that cover the fence separating the two parts of our property, and this huge old antique rose bush that grows next to the house, between our front and back porches. 

The rose bush is huge, and each spring, it blooms with the most beautiful and fragrant pink roses. You can smell the flowers as soon as you step out the door or near the porch. It is an intoxicating scent. But the rosebush only blooms once per year, and then it lies dormant until the next spring. I am always so excited when it starts to bloom, and so sad when the blooming season, which only lasts about two weeks, is over.

I had noticed last week that the bush had begun to show buds, but it wasn’t until this morning after I got in my car to go to work and glanced over at the house that I realized those buds had begun to bloom. I put the car in park, unplugged my phone, and stepped out into the mud to get close enough to get photos. Because I wanted to remember what the roses looked like for the time when they are gone.

As I walked back to my car, I thought what a shame it was that the rose bush only bloomed once a year and then was essentially barren the rest of the year. I thought about how most people who come to our house never know what beauty this bush graces us with, unless they happen to come over during that short season that it is covered in the most beautiful and fragrant flowers.

As those thoughts went through my mind, I thought how many people are like my antique rose bush. They do incredibly amazing, powerful, and beautiful things from time to time. Things that take your breath away, and bring immeasurable joy to your life for a season. And then once they have completed their amazing task, whatever it might be, they step back into the shadows, appearing to be nothing but an overgrown, in need of maintenance, barren bush. 

When you glance at them in their off season, without knowing or remembering how breathtaking they were for a short but glorious time, you wonder what their purpose could possibly be. They are just in the way of the trashcans. They prick you with their sharp thorns when you try to get past them to turn on the water hose. 

You wonder why someone doesn’t just seriously chop the useless eyesore down. 

But if they did, think of the beauty that would be destroyed. Think of the glory that would never be experienced again. The object that is an overgrown and seemingly useless eyesore 90% of the time would be gone, but so would the magic during that brief time when incredibly amazing, powerful, and beautiful things happen. Things that you miss if you don’t pay attention.

Some people, like antique roses, only bloom for short periods. But during those periods, oh they are glorious. 

Don’t overlook or be irritated by those who might seem a little overgrown, barren, useless, or even downright prickly. Because, in their time, they create some of the most beautiful and fragrant flowers in the garden.

And life is infinitely more beautiful because of them.