A rose and a dove

This is the story of a rose and a dove.

Once upon a time there was a magical gardener who tended on a field of rose bushes. The
gardener cared for the young plants full of promising buds until one day, when the sun
came up, all the flowers rushed to bloom, filling the garden with colors of crimson, gold
and lavender.

That is…all but one. On its thorn-covered stems there was only a single bud; it did not
open to the warmth of daylight but remained shy, aloof and alone from the frantic show
of beauty and glory around. No one paid much attention to this frail, unassuming rose to
be, but the gardener still lavished his attention on it, hoping it will open its heart to the
desires of the world.

Yet the life within remained quiet until midnight when darkness stole the light. It was
then that, while others slept, the lone rose bud opened its petals and blossomed into a
brilliant white bloom, revealing the vision and grace that was hidden from the world.
Just as quickly though it withered and died…for it is not of this world, until the morning
break when it was miraculously transformed into a pure white dove and flew up into the
sky, wherever it went the colors of the rainbow followed.

Eventually, the rest of the roses – even the most beautiful -- died and returned to the
gray brown of earth, But the white dove kept soaring into the heavens, for it is the colors
of radiance that belong to the realm above, free to joyfulness and freed from pain, but
today and tomorrow chooses again to return, giving warmth to the world and inspiring
light in our hearts.

And the gardener is pleased…