Once upon a time there was a baby rose named Viscidity. Viscidity started out as a very tiny bud, carefully protected while she grew. Time passed, and Viscidity began to blossom. Her delicate beauty was refreshing. Viscidy was very trusting and confident too
that she would always be safe from harm.
Late one evening, petals gently wrapped around her,
Viscidity was resting from the heat of the day. Suddenly she felt
herself being ripped from the very stem of her life.
Viscidity was filled with terror, but, there was no escape.
Human hands had committed the ultimate violation against
roses.
After destroying Viscidity the human hands had no
further use for her, and unmindful of her pain, threw her
to the ground. Terrified and bleeding, Viscidity looked up
at the stem where she had been just a short time ago. Now,
instead of the comfort the stem had provided, there
was the cold, hard ground, the grass and the weeds,
and worst of all, the thorns.
Viscidity spent the worst night of her life laying there on
the ground. When the sun came up she welcomed it
and let the warmth it offered fill her with hope. Feeling ready
for her long journey ahead, Viscidity slowly pushed her way
through the grass and the weeds, parting each one
until she could see clearer. Then, she took hold of the base of the stem and slowly began to inch her way upward.
At times she grew too weak to go ahead, and many times she
fell back, but, she never gave up. Thorns pierced her, ripping her
petals and making her cry. Still she kept going. Finally, near the top,
Viscidity could hear the other roses softly encouraging her.
Their voices filled her with strength and hope and she pushed ahead with new energy. Then came the day when Viscidity
was able to reach the top of her stem and join
the other roses.
Viscidity was much older now, and no longer covered in her youthful
petals. She bore many scars from her long journey. She shared her
pain with the other roses and they understood.
That night there was a quiet celebration amng the roses as
they marked Viscidity's journey.
Viscidity did not live happily ever after, but, she was happy that she lived. Today, Viscidity devotes her time to helping other roses
who have suffered violation at human hands.
So, next time you are walking through a rose garden and
you bend close to smell their sweet fragrance, please,
stop a moment and think of Viscidity. Then, give a shout of joy
so that all the roses there will know that you too celebrate the strength and courage of survivors.
