Covered by Love

Blog #16

        Two weeks ago I received a bouquet of two dozen red roses from my husband.   They were so beautiful, catching my eye from the kitchen counter, upon my return home.  It was a Monday; not my birthday, not our anniversary, not Mother’s Day. 

        My first question when I walked in the door was “Whom are they for?”  My husband looked at me and said, “You!”   I was shocked.  For some reason,  I really did not think they were for me. Then, he told me the reason for the surprise. I was very grateful.

        I took the 24 roses and divided them into two bouquets.  I cut one dozen and put them on the dining room table in a crystal vase. The other dozen I kept with their original length in a yellow and red ceramic vase and put them on the kitchen counter.  Each bouquet lasted about six days.  They were exquisite in their beauty and scent.

        The roses were given to me to cheer me up after something that happened or to ask my forgiveness for something that my husband did. The amazing thing is that I, who can remember every other detail of the gift itself and the conversation surrounding it, cannot remember the offense, sorrow or disappointment that prompted the gift. This was only two weeks ago!

        “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” Love is a lovely thick quilt covering you on a cold day.  You get under it and it makes you feel so warm and toasty that you could easily forget how cold you were.  When you are covered with love, it is hard to remember your own offenses or the offenses of others.  You may call the roses a peace offering, a bribe, a pacifier or a token of concern; depending on the reason they were given. I call them a quilt.