A Love That Still Blooms

A short story about love and a vase of red and yellow roses that multiplied

A Love That Still Blooms


It all began in Lawton, Oklahoma, with a single bouquet of roses, a symbol of something new, something promising, something eternal. Oh, how young we were, full of dreams, laughter, and a belief that love could conquer all.

I met the love of my life there, and together we painted our days in red and yellow. The red roses stood for the love that brought us together, and the yellow roses, oh, those golden dreams, were to represent the family we hoped to build. Our dream was to turn one dozen red roses into one dozen yellow ones, each bloom a living symbol of love growing into a legacy.

Life, however, had its own rhythm and plan. Our marriage ended long before the dozen yellow roses could fill the vase. Yet, as I look back today, I see that dream did not die; it simply transformed.

From that vase of red roses, four yellow roses blossomed — Shalina, William, Nneka, and Ashika, the living proof of what love can create. And those four roses have now filled my world with countless blooms, seventeen grandchildren, and sixteen great-grandchildren, each one carrying the color and fragrance of love renewed.

What some might call an unfinished dream, I see as a garden overflowing with blessings. The dream did not break; it multiplied.

Today, I give thanks to God, whose grace has carried me, and whose mercy has wrapped itself around this family I cherish so deeply. Every rose, red or yellow, tells a story of love, endurance, and divine faithfulness.

May His grace and mercy continue to guide my children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, today, tomorrow, and forever.

With everlasting gratitude,
MGM

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