You love the roses – so do I. I wish
The sky would rain down roses, as they rain
From off the shaken bush. Why will it not?
Then all the valley would be pink and white
And soft to tread on. They would fall as light
As feathers, smelling sweet; and it would be
Like sleeping and like waking, all at once! – George Elliot
I must have been the only person crazy enough to be out walking in mid-day. The heat was unrelenting and seemed to occupy even the shadiest of corners. We are only approaching summer here, at which time the heat will be far more intense. My body, however, has not yet become accustom and today beads of perspiration formed on my arms and tickled my neck as I meandered slowly through Tishreen Park. The turtle doves were silent and the city’s hum was soft and lulling. Twenty years ago I would have been resting like everyone else, but on this day my mind was restless – a restlessness that seems to intensify the more one tries to calm it.
Eventually, I found a shady spot near a bed of roses and wilted onto the bench aptly positioned for rose viewing. I, however, rested my head on the back of the bench and closed my eyes. Instantaneously, the thoughts and visions that were causing my restlessness started parading their endless stream of worries across my inner eyelids. I quickly opened my eyes again and stared up through the branches of the tree at the bluest of skies. The sun peeped through the pale green leaves creating a halo around my view – an effect like a dream sequence in a movie. The utter beauty quieted my mind and body and suddenly I became aware of scents and sounds to which, seconds before, I had been completely oblivious.
Although there wasn’t much of a breeze, the leaves of the tree fluttered and rustled in harmony to the buzzing insects and the chirping birds. The din of traffic suddenly seemed so removed, almost non-existent. My body further relaxed and I breathed deeply. Slowly the subtle, sweet, and alluring scent of the Damask Rose caressed my senses. I closed my eyes again, and inhaled, not wanting to let go of everything I had just discovered. This time, no concerns violated my peacefulness. Bright, inverse images of my new found world danced and shimmered in the darkness of my eyelids. The scent of the rose persevered filling my airways again and again permeating through my entire body.
I thought briefly about the timelessness of the rose – how it has been engrained on the human psyche. It graces all forms of art; visual, textile, carvings, poetry, and prose. It is the jewel in any garden or bouquet and has come to signify so many things depending upon its colour – especially red for love. Historically it has been referred to since ancient times and is now grown and renowned internationally. Today I have gained a full appreciation of its seductiveness.
I sat serenely on the bench until distant chatter of other park-goers signaled that it was time for me to move on. The day had other things in store for me. I left with the reassuring thought that I could always return. I had found my little piece of paradise in the city.
Mariyah
abufares
