It is funny how memories can return with a flood due a smell, sight or sound. The flood of recollection washes over you. For a moment, time and space dissolve and you are transported to a different moment of your life. A time you once thought you would never forget, but somehow had.

While it is easy to remember big events in life, remembering the roses often takes a low priority. You may have taken the time to smell them, you may have even taken a roll of film or two, but you didn’t take the time to reflect on the roses over the years. Occasionally looking at the photos in a book, does not seem to be enough to keep the roses fresh and vivid. The fragrance fades with time and only an image remains, not the full experience.

It seems the best remembered roses are the ones we share with others. Those who originally smelled them with us, those who help us remember the fragrance as well as the shape and color. Taking time to smell the roses is important, but if we hope to remember the fullness of life’s journey, then taking time to cultivate and nurture the relationships of the loved ones who walked with us through the garden is vital. It is how we will remember the roses.