It's Been a While

But after all the moping I've done lately, it's time to show you how much it means that you've stuck by my side, so I have a small surprise for you. But first, a fairy tale. . .

Once upon a time, in a long-lost land that exists now only in legend, lived a young woman who had very strong beliefs and even stronger love for her fellow man. She had dreams of making small but significant changes that would help preserve the good she knew existed in the hearts of all people. Most of all, she loved children, her own and others that, while not of her body, were of her heart because they turned to her for love, kindness, and patience, which she gave to them unconditionally. One day the evil witch noticed that this woman was happy while the witch herself was miserable, even though each had chosen to live their lives as they had of their own accord, and she decided to destroy the woman. First she tried to seduce the woman's husband and steal him away so the woman would be alone. The witch did not really want the man's love for herself and, in fact, planned to cast him aside after she was done with him; she only wanted to damage the love between the two. Alas, love proved to be stronger and the witch failed. Then she attacked the woman's children, bribing them with favors and treats so they would come to her and leave their mother, even though she did not really want them; she only wanted to watch the woman suffer. Again the witch failed. Over time, she openly attacked the family, enraged that the harder she fought, the tighter their bond became. Still the family and their love persevered and the woman thought the witch would finally leave them alone, not realizing that the witch was so furious now that she would never stop until all the woman's hopes and dreams were shattered and her life ruined beyond repair. She singled out the "weakest" of the children, a girl of frail mind and weak moral constitution, damaged by the horrors she experienced in life before finding the young woman and her family, and the witch began manipulating the girl's mind. She worked and worked until finally the girl's mind cracked and she began telling horrific stories against the young woman and others in the family, and then all the children were taken away from the woman. She was not allowed to see them and steps were being taken to ensure she never would, not her own children and certainly not those who needed her the most.

How do you think this story ends? How do you think it SHOULD end? Could something like this happen in our society today?

Anyhow. Now for your "surprise." Some while back I gave Jo a Friendship Rose. Since then I've kind of neglected the roses and the garden's grown a little wild, so after some pruning and cutting, I have some new Roses I'd like to give to a few people:

Jo gets another (you know why)
Ev
Dawn
Count (yes, I'm giving a flower to a guy)
Mrs. Count
Becky
Vanessa
Paisley
DiamondsSaphire
You've given me more than I can say, and I am proud to consider you my friends.

Once again, the only "rule" is to pass this rose on (if you choose) to someone who's made a difference in your life, made you feel better just for a moment or for a day, someone who maybe needs a little boost. Sharing our friendships with each other will go a long way towards making this world a better place to be.