The Rose Garden Fable
Rowena the rosebud basked in the care of her expert gardener, until she chose not to bloom…
Rowena loved being a budding red rose in Mrs. Lawson’s rose garden because she saw how excited Mrs. Lawson was about the garden getting ready to bloom. She loved the role she played in somebody else’s happiness.
Although Rowena loved making Mrs. Lawson happy, she was even happier because she was so pampered. Mrs. Lawson loyally watered the flower buds and fed them with plant food so they didn’t have to fend for themselves.
Rowena often wondered why a rose would ever want to bloom after such wonderful treatment. After all, blooming meant the end of this pampering until next blooming season.
One day, Rowena said to Nancy, who was next to her in the garden, “Mrs. Lawson treats us so well! I wish she could pamper us like this forever!”
Nancy replied, “Forever? That’s impossible! As flowers, we’re supposed to bloom when the time comes. It’s our job!”
But Rowena so enjoyed the wonderful care Mrs. Lawson provided that she didn’t want it to stop. So she decided to keep her petals folded, even when the other flowers bloomed.
When Mrs. Lawson noticed that Rowena wasn’t blooming, she watered Rowena even more and Rowena basked in the special treatment.
Little did Rowena know that because Mrs. Lawson watered her excessively, her roots would begin to weaken. When her foundation started to weaken, life became miserable for Rowena because she had lost her chance to bloom as beautifully as all the other flowers.
She cried, “I feel terrible! I should’ve been more honest with Mrs. Lawson by blooming when I was supposed to. If I had not been selfish, I wouldn’t be so crooked now, and she wouldn’t be sad.”
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It is very easy to get carried away after having a taste of the finer things in life. The feelings associated with having the best can sometimes drive you to do dishonorable things to keep those feelings alive.
When you commit to being dishonest to gain superficial happiness, it’s only a matter of time before thoughts of guilt and disappointment start to fill your mind.
There is nothing more fulfilling than peace of mind, and it can only come when you focus on being honest with yourself and those around you.
Remember that your conscience is your guide and it will lead you toward a life filled with sincere happiness. The finer things will eventually come. Until then, focus on honest relationships with others and you will thrive.
Self-Reflection Questions:
- Have I made selfish decisions that have resulted in a burdened conscience?
- How can I make them right?
- Do I encourage others to be honest with me?
