The Wisdom of Roses

Some people grumble that roses have thorns; I am grateful thorns have roses.

– Alphonse Karr

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The first time I came across this quote, I was working in a flower shop where part of my job was to remove the thorns from all the roses.  The task literally shredded the skin on my hands, turning my fingers into a cracked, green-stained twigs.  Flower shops aren’t nearly as glamorous as everyone thinks!  Ah, I’ve digressed.

One morning, I switched the calendar page to a new month, (June, I believe), and Karr’s quote immediately caught my eye.  I never again complained about another thorn I had to remove, because I was reminded to focus on the petals.  The same is true with life in general – thorns are everywhere and can easily fill our view, but they don’t make up the whole picture.

I, for one, believe in roses.

Regent's Park, London, June 2011, c.b.w.

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c.b. 2012

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Wreck This Journal: Stay Positive

Christmas may be over, but I’m one of those people that wishes the spirit of the season could last all year long.  I thrive on the kindness, the love, and most of all the positive atmosphere that always surrounds Christmas and Hanukkah.  With all that warm “goo” oozing out of my attitude, I couldn’t help but play with a page in my Wreck This Journal entitled “Page of good thoughts.”

I pulled out my trusty quote journal and picked out a few of my favorite phrases that truly embody the notion of positive thinking.  They always pull me out of the doldrums and inspire me to make the best of each day.

As usual, black and white wasn’t enough for me so I pulled some cheerful hues out of my crayon box and gave each quote a splash of color.  I keep this page marked for when gray clouds threaten to block the sun.  This is especially fitting seeing as New Year’s Eve is just around the corner.  Every year, I renew my goal of living by a simple philosophy that states:  Happiness is a choice.  This belief is rooted in my core and I intend to embrace joy as much as possible in the coming year.

Note:  Its funny that I didn’t notice I spelled Thomas Mann’s name wrong until I started tagging this post.  I’ll be fixing that!  Sorry about that, Mr. Mann.

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For previous Wreck This Journal posts, please visit my sidebar or tag cloud.

c.b. 2011