After school every day, the kids and I play a game called Roses & Thorns. I ask them what their roses are(the good things), and what the thorns are(not so good things).
Just the other day, my daughter, Elizabeth, who is 7, answered, “I had some thorns, but the roses overcame them.”
Such wisdom at a young age!
We all have thorns, whether we are 7 or 70. Some thorns scratch the surface just enough to let us know they are there. Some, though, cut very deep, and may never fully heal.
Life, also, is full of beauty, helping hands and love. These are the roses. The roses have the power to quickly heal the shallow wounds, and give us relief from the deep wounds.
Just as thorns are not without the rose, roses are not without the thorn.
To heal the wound, I’ve found to focus not on the pain of it, but to search for the beauty of the rose to heal it. If I dwell on the pain, it only serves to intensify it. If I search out the rose, I find a source of healing, or at the very least, relief.
If we are mired in our pain, we may overlook the help and love of another. If we focus on hope, then we find and appreciate those there to help us.
See the roses to overcome your thorns.
Be well,
Christie
Autobiographical Reflections 