The White Rose

  There was a couple, they loved each other and grew old together. One day, the old man died. His widow was grief stricken.

  Noticing that she was so sad members of her church asked if there was anything they could do for her.

  "Well, there is one thing," The old lady said "my birthday is at the end of this month, if you would bring me a single white rose it would make me happy."

  The people at her church felt sorry for her but they thought. "A single white rose? Surely that isn't enough! We'll do more for her instead!"

  So they went and they served her, they gardened for her, they did her dishes, they brought her bouquets of flowers, and they brought her home cooked meals.

  The old woman's birthday came and she looked for the rose.

  When she didn't find one she cried, running outside in her heartbreak, calling out as if she had lost someone.

  At the funeral the people from her church who tried to help her came.

  "What happened? Who was she looking for." They wondered. "Didn't we help her? Didn't we serve her well? Why didn't the meals and bouquets of flowers cheer her up? We were here for her.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  Why did she want a white rose so much? Wasn't what we did better?"

  The widow's son had flown in from across the country and went up to the pulpit to say a few words. He walked up and cleared his throat before saying, "As I grew up I always was amazed at how much my parents loved each other. Every day they cherished every second they had. My father wasn't much for words but he always showed how he loved my mother. By being there for her, by being a gentleman. But especially on her birthday. On my mother's birthday I was always surprised that my father wouldn't go buying my mother expensive gifts, or take her out, instead he would go and bring her a single delicate white rose he had picked himself, then they would go outside and spend a night among the stars together.

  It took me years to understand this, but this is what I learned from them. That true love is worth more than any gift. That actions love deeper than words, and that there is nothing better in this world than to spend a night in wonder at the world god created for us with the one we love. I learned how to truly love from my parents and that is a gift I can never repay them for."

  The people from her church were crying openly. They had no idea how much a single rose meant to the old woman. They had no idea how much love was symbolized by it.

  They realized, no, what they did wasn't better. It wasn't what was needed.

  After the funeral they went to the widow's son.

  "We're sorry, we didn't know how much that rose would have meant to her. Please forgive us."

  Her son only smiled hugging each of them close and said, "Don't worry. It's ok, I know they are both happy and my father would thank you for how well you took care of her."

  The end.