Stand Strong

This past week something amazing happened. The roses my sweet husband gave me for Valentines did something quite unusual. 

On Valentines Day after my mall walk, my sweet husband surprised me with a dozen roses and a box of chocolates! He knows me so well. The old floral designer came out in me and I arranged my flowers. They looked lovely for a few days as they usually do. Then all of a sudden all the roses I arranged except the top center rose started to wilt and droop down. I was shocked so I hurried and changed the water and trimmed them. I thought this would help them "revive" themselves, as it usually does with all flowers. And over the next 2 days the roses kept wilting and drooping even more but the rose in the middle stood tall and beautiful as it unfolded its petals. 

What a sweet thing that we can liken to ourselves. We need to stand tall while those around us may fall. Sometimes the world wants us to droop like everyone else. There are uplifting things we can drink as roses. There are also toxic things we can sip. Those "drinks" of life will determine the longevity of our "blooming" life.  We can choose to stand our ground and still bloom beautifully in the midst of harsh, and "failing" circumstances. I am sure this Rose had many opportunities to fall just like those all around her. She had a choice, and she made a choice. Stand strong, or wilt with the crowd. What will your choice be?