THE FRIENDSHIP ROSE

A single yellow rose I hold in my hand. It is so delicate, like thefriendship its color symbolizes. I raise it to my nose and inhale its softfragrance and remember you.

I begin to peel a petal away and feel itsgentleness as I roll the memories around my fingers. I tug another awayfrom the stem, this one resists, not wanting to share itself with me. Icontinue until nothing remains but the stem.

I look at the neat pile ofpetals laying underneath and joy fills my heart not sadness. Because thebeauty of a friendship, like the rose, is made up of individual memories;put together over time, watered with tears, the soil turned withunderstanding and nourished with the brightness of laughter.

As I stare atthe thorny bare stem, absent of the flower, I smile. Even though it isstripped of its physical beauty, it's splendor lives long in my heart, likethe memories of our friendship.