🌹     Every family has secrets, secrets only mentioned in the dark. They tell you what they want you to know, leaving out what was true. Momma used to say, tending a garden was a great way to learn about life. She believed God’s best-kept secrets were under heaven’s blanket. She often said that creating a good, healthy garden would take a lot of work, like the work needed to make a good life for yourself. It would take nothing short of blood, sweat, and tears. And gardening to her was like meeting people. You had to be mindful of the weeds because they would steal and choke life from what was good. You learned quickly that you were fighting against nature itself some days, grateful for the occasional victories. 

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🌹     Roses was the true mystery. That was the only time her eyes lit up.  Her love for them would become the most powerful lessons she would teach me. Momma said roses were what God used to teach about love. Their fragrance is rich, intoxicating, and beautiful to look upon, but you must be willing to do more than look at them. They’re silky and soft, touching the depths of even the darkest soul, the soul of those brave enough to reach for them, that is. However, despite any protection or safety precautions you can take, you are bound to experience some form of pain from time to time. It’s a part of life, it’s unavoidable, and it’s part of growth.  

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🌹     And yet, with everything she taught it still didn’t prepare Emma for what was to come.