At first I said this wild rose was entrancing and mysterious. It drew me in. Of course, I love the wildness of it, just offering it’s beauty so freely. And I’m getting to the mystery part.

Traditionally, the yellow rose symbolizes the sun, life-giving warmth and warm feelings, friendship, optimism and joy. In Eastern cultures it also is the color of wisdom.

According to meditation experts, visualizing yellow for a long period of time makes communication between people easier and brings about the power of words and expression. So here I write.

I’ve thought about how uplifting this rose seemed to be. I guess the mystery is the way I felt there was a message deep inside those precious petals. Memories perhaps of the warm green foliage outside my Grandmother’s home in Atlanta where I sat on her steps in the sun at a young age when my hair was yellow curls. Maybe it’s the friendliness of living in a smaller town where some gardens are wild, some are tended to carefully and some are filled with weeds. Wildly authentic, it takes all kinds. And then there’s the Eastern wisdom, the secrets deeply embedded in our psyches yet so often forgotten, teachings hidden in the mountains which are ours to rediscover and use to open our hearts and minds.

And very simply, I feel touched by how this rose reminds me of our friendship, dear readers. When I see your names popping up, I wonder how each and every one of you is navigating the path of life. May this entrancing yellow rose fill you with warm summer days, joy and the wisdom of the ages.