A Perfect Rose…

While I am a notorious Valentine’s sceptic because of all the commercial hype that surrounds the modern holiday, I completely understand that love, in all its forms, is something that we should emulate, practice and celebrate as often as possible. The photo above, is perhaps the most perfect use of a red rose I have ever witnessed. The photo is over two years old, and it still makes the hair on the back of neck stand when I look at it.

These photos, from the Fall of 2011, were taken on a visit to the beautiful and solemn memorial at the site of the World Trade Center in New York. The space just felt so incredibly peaceful, despite the atrocities that took so many lives in the terrorist attack a decade earlier.

The constant rush of water flowing into a square hole, with the names of hundreds or thousands of people killed during the tragedy etched on the dark stone (slate? granite? marble?) around the perimeter of the fountain, inevitably made you think about the most important things in life. It was a very moving experience.

And if the whole set-up wasn’t emotional enough, read the inscription at the center of this photo above. Find me someone who didn’t shed a tear reading that…

For many years now, I have jokingly told my family that if I should pass away, and they held a short wake, they should carefully vet floral tributes. Only the nice white flowers should make it close to the urn, gaudy colorful arrangements are best left near the bar serving only chilled sparkling water (no buffet of food). But after seeing how effective and powerful a single red rose could be, I am having second thoughts…

Here, a photo of MM looking at the one tree that survived the collapse of the World Trade Center, workers apparently balled the tree, kept it elsewhere and re-planted it at the memorial as a testament to survival, life, hope and growth. Marketman, Family & Crew wish you all a wonderful Valentine’s Day!