A rose - The lesson of a rose

Shelle's post prompted my response. She doesn't mind sharing the goods on her other blog! She  is always a great read. She is young beautiful and I love that she She said she felt like she became more beautiful because of her children like she didn't know who she was early on in marriage. Really just click over and read what I'm talking about.

My response was I think of it like you were a beautiful rose bud. And with life experiences you blossomed and became a beautiful rose but we all know what happens after a rose blooms....it withers and dies. I threw that into just keeping her humble. But my response really prompted a true feeling.
Seriously, I hope that I pace myself and bloom and spread my petals daily because I look forward to each knew ray of sunshine that each day brings. I want to see grandchildren. etc,
but I hope that when my petals shall all fall that they would fall in the right time, when all of color has left the petal and when the last petal has shrivelled I would have known and my family and friends would have known it was a good life and the fragrance of the wilted petal would linger on in a sachet of sort like a beautiful memory.
I am 40, I don't see myself living to 100 so I have about spent half my life. I am being a better care taker and gardner of my rose. I am careful to be nourished only in the things that truly matter and are lasting to my family. I keep myself protected from the harsh winds by going to church, attending the temple and finding joy in serving. I have learned to take and prune a few of my thorns off through experience and repentance and tolerance. By learning to accept the things I can not change and still willing to change the things I can.
Thanks Shelle for prompting such an emotion from me.