Smelling Roses

Roses, white flowers are what I've been seeing lately. Every morning when I wake up I see the white and yellow roses from my bedroom from the rose garden outside. On my runs and walks I see many white roses and my favorite kind of trees with white flowers. They look tropical looking and I've begun to see them in different places. They especially remind me of last summer while I was a student and passing by them was always so lovely in the summer heat.

I recently bought fake flowers and though I love roses, I wanted something a little different so I got white lilies and I love them too! Some of my favorite saints hold them as they resemble purity and innocence. They saints include St. Joseph, St. Maria Goretti, St. Anthony of Padua with the Child Jesus, and St. Agnes to name a few.

While I was working at one of my former jobs, passing by the white roses in the bushes before entering work always helped me think of Our Lady and the Rosary and just feeling uplifted. At another job I also would look to the pretty white roses in bushes when passing by car and think of how I got through days at the past work place. This past May I was so bad at praying the Rosary, but I want to make more time and be more intentional about it. While praying it we can think they we are giving Mary roses and other kinds of beautiful flowers. I've heard accounts of people who have smelt the aroma of roses while praying the Rosary and knowing that she is close by.

Roses are significant to me too as the month of June is the rose flower and its my birthday month. My lunch bag happens to be of roses and I'm reminded of Our Lady. Jesus was pierced with the crown of thorns in his head before being crucified and I feel that we have to endure a crown of thorns before we can appreciate a bed of roses.

I plan to create roses or other types of flowers from tissue paper and it seems like an  interesting and creative activity. This past week I finished painting upon my last shirt that I designed. On all three of them I have drawn flowers and roses and specifically this one since I formed it around Our Lady of Guadalupe and the image of the tilma strewn so many beautiful roses when Juan Diego opened it. Mary walks with us on our journey of faith and helps us draw closer to Jesus, not taking away from it. Every morning I say a prayer to Our Lady of Confidence and want to grow in devotion o her. Mother Mary, help me to love and trust you more, be with me always!