The Rose

I was just over at a friend's house on the weekend and we were chatting about this and that and then I got onto my dime story somehow.  I had never told this couple this story before.  Well, that led to the quarter story and we were sharing these things.   Just three years ago they lost a dear sister-in-law.  Their love for this family is beyond words. A precious 3yr old was left without a mother who died of cancer so young.  Kara is the proud recipient of all of this girls outgrown clothes each year and I have so connected to their love and story.   The three of us shared tears at the table as we thought about our loved ones.  They talked of how certain songs would remind you of your loved one.  I remembered The Rose.  I have not thought about that song for quite some time...but I said if I even begin to hear that song I am done for!  Wouldn't you know it they were playing it at an outside farmer's market in Sherwood Park once!  I had no where to run and hide...the tears started pouring out....now I will tell you why.
 
This morning I was cleaning my grandma's recipe book shelf as it is a big mess.  I found a dime.  Then I found a folded sheet of paper.  I opened it up.  This is what it said:
SHARON FRANCES DAWSON BATIUK- 1947-1991
 
"Some say love-it is a river, that drowns the tender reed.  Some say love- it is a razor that leaves your heart to bleed.  Some say love-it is a hunger, an endless aching need.  I say love-it is a flower and you-its only seed.  It's the heart afraid of breaking, that never learns to dance.  It's the dream-afraid of waking-that never takes the chance.  It's the one-who won't be taken, who cannot seem to give-and the soul-afraid of dying, that never learns to live, when the spring becomes a Rose"
 
Remembering Sharon--laughing, dancing, partying and kicking up her heels on a summer evening during those wonderful teenage years.
 
March 3, 1991
 
OK, now I don't even remember that everyone else knew the importance of this song to my mother, and I don't remember this about her funeral, but they must have played it.  I cried through the whole thing, so how was I to remember anything (I only laughed at the viewing).  But, her whole life she would play this song here and there.  This WAS her song.  I don't know why she chose it, and quite frankly, until this very moment when I read this this morning, I never paid any attention to the words.  She would lie on the couch and bounce her head to this song.  Must have been her way of dealing with all the abuse and her lack of love in her life from her husband.  The words are quite powerful actually now that I read them.  Although I did burst into tears this morning as I read them as I had just found a dime seconds before hiding nearby.  And the timing, just after talking about this song this weekend and posting my laughing fit story at her viewing yesterday.
 
So yes, this IS my mother's song and it must symbolize the grief she felt in her heart.  And I think we all need to take these words to heart.  They are extremely purposeful words and when we get caught up in the drudgery of life, we must remember why God put us here and that we are here to love with all our hearts.  Love is to be given away and the need is great.  
 
Going back to my Quebec story, I found it interesting that the girl that was on the phone when the whole dime/quarter thing happened was named Rose.