Wednesday, May 6, 2009

A Rose For Mama


Are you a white rose or a red one?

When I was a little girl, living in the country, roses grew outside my bedroom window. Every year at Mothers’ Day, the roses would bud, sometimes even bloom. I have no idea where the tradition originated, whether it was regional or otherwise, but on Sunday morning before church, Mom and I would go outside to the roses. We each cut a red rose to pin on our dress for the service. The red indicated that our mothers were still living. Mom would also cut a white one to take to Grandma. The white symbolized that Grandma’s mother had passed away.

Many years have passed since I wore one of those buds, but I can still smell the light spicy scent of those old-fashioned floribunda roses and remember the pride with which I wore my little homemade corsage. It was a lovely tradition, honoring my mother, which I remember fondly. Maybe this year, I’ll bring it back. And wear my white rose in honor of a never forgotten mama.

So tell me, have you ever heard of this tradition? Do you and your mother share any kind of traditions on Mother’s Day?

9 comments:

  1. What a lovely tradition. Thanks for sharing it!

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  2. I would be a white rose person having lost my mom in 1996. I have never heard of that tradition but it is a lovely one.

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  3. Linda,
    Thanks for sharing the tradition. I would also be a white rose person. I lost my mom in 1984, but her wonderful memory lives on.

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  4. Ellen and Merrillee, I feel your pain. No matter how long our moms have been gone, we miss them forever. Mom died at 43, way too young. I wasn't yet grown so didn't know how to cope with the loss for a long time.

    Has anyone ever heard of the red/white rose tradition anywhere else?

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  5. I haven't heard of the red rose, white rose tradition before but I like the idea.

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  6. Linda,

    Now that you mention it, I think the carnations they handed out at a previous church were white and red, just like you said. I had forgotten all about that.

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  7. What a tender tradition. I would still get to wear a red rose, but my mother would wear a white one. I so wish my mother would write down some of her memoirs. Haven't convinced her yet. We tried with my husband's mother, but she wouldn't either. Lost generations of information so vital for the family.

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  8. I know what you mean, Carmen. I wish my mom had written down stories. I never knew any of her extended family or even my grandfather although I'm told my red hair came from him.

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  9. Yes we used to do that also, but my Mom has been gone now for 29 years and it get easier but you never get over not having your mama around. I was her baby and she had 9 kids older than me. I still dream about her sometime but she is alway old the way she was at the last, she was 82 when she passed in 1980. I was a very late in life baby came along with the baby boomers.

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