Of Roses, Veggies and Reconnections

There are moments in life that are very, very good but get lost in the shuffle of living. They brighten your life immeasurably but seem to dim quickly because we just forget to take notice. A moment (or two) happened to me this week and I do not want them to go un-noticed. Here, in this miserable, crumbling third world country, there is a farm that sells fresh veggies and roses and delivers them to your doorstep. Expensive? Yes. Worth it? I have no idea about the veggies. They were no better or worse than any others. Not having to bargain my way through the market for them is a bonus this week, I may not feel that way next week. The roses, though, made the expense seem trivial. These aren’t just any long-stem roses. These are roses that are full of colour and scent. A heavy, perfumed, rich, hot summer day, fill the house with beauty type of scent. When these roses came through the door, memories of my mom and her bushes and vines of wild roses came rushing back. Mom stills grows a rose bush or two and they still smell wonderful but now it takes a trip around the world once a year at precisely the right time to smell those roses. Now, here in this dingy place, the smell once again surrounds me. It is one small moment in a life but one big thing that changes the perception of a place.

Another moment too good to go un-noticed is a moment of reconnection. Part of the life we have chosen (my guy and I) is many, many farewells to people we’ve come to love. There are always promises to keep in touch and, for the most part, friends – real friends – do keep in touch. But every so often this life pulls apart even those of us who love and need each other. There were two women at one particular place that meant more than I can express. We laughed and cried together, supported one another and shared our lives. Parting came, as it must, and we stayed in touch. Life had other plans. Illness and death separated us. Years passed and the longing to reconnect never changed. This week my girl let me know that my friend found her and was looking for me. After a few false starts, we talked on the phone for the first time in more than a decade. As soon as I heard that wonderful giggle, the time vanished and I was with my friend again. And, in a way, with our friend who has passed on. A circle of friendship was restored. It may be a small moment in life but it’s a big one in my heart.

Veggies, roses and old friends - things that make up the beauty of life.