Roses Are

A rose is just a rose… or is it more?

—Jig3125

A rose is a flower.

At least that’s the official answer.

Petals.

Stem.

Thorns.

Case closed.

Or is it?

People don’t hand each other roses because they’re running low on vegetation.

A rose has spent centuries doing extra work.

It’s been a symbol.

A gesture.

An apology.

A celebration.

A question nobody wants to ask directly.

One rose can mean affection.

A dozen can mean devotion.

Somewhere along the way, the flower became a language.

Interesting for a plant that never says a word.

Then there are the thorns.

A detail often overlooked until someone grabs the stem too quickly.

Or is that part of the message too?

Beauty and caution sharing the same branch.

Not a bad metaphor.

The funny thing is, a rose doesn’t seem concerned with any of this.

It blooms.

It fades.

It repeats the process.

Meanwhile, humans write poems, compose songs, and build entire industries around its existence.

Quite an accomplishment for something rooted in the ground.

So is a rose just a rose?

Perhaps.

Or perhaps it’s one of those rare things that became larger than itself.

A flower.

A symbol.

A memory.

A message.

A mystery.

Depends who’s holding it.

That’s the point.

A rose is just a rose…

Until someone gives it meaning.

— JIG3125