Take Time to Smell the Roses and Check for Four Leaf Clovers

Late fall is slipping by quickly across the country. I like to look through the pictures I’ve taken of the plants that defy winter’s kiss of death by resurrecting themselves in the spring, once more sending a joyful display of color.

Splashes of golden yellow faithfully appear from the brambles out back shortly before summer. Sometimes they are the only positive note against the snow that longer, warmer days are indeed on the way. It’s vital to draw near enough to smell the delicate fragrance. The challenge is avoiding the sharp thorns that persistently present themselves along each long stem. Beauty admired from afar is often the case for this particular rose bush.

My dad and I used to go walking across the lawn looking for four leaf clovers. At age 7, I had no clue what good luck was, but knew it was on the way if I found that special clover. The Druids believed that traditional three-leaf shamrocks had the power to let them see evil spirits. The timely warning allowed them to escape the danger. The uncommon four leaf clovers warded off bad luck and magically protected the bearer.

I found a five leaf clover during our search one morning and marked the spot with a twig. When he arrived home from work, I grabbed his hand and drug him to my find, chattering all the way. He moved the clovers aside tenderly and slowly counted the leaves. He explained that clovers with more than 4 leaves were bad luck when picked, so we left it attached to the plant. I understood bad luck, which meant tripping over a shoe lace when they worked their way lose or falling down on the bicycle. 

Simple things like extraordinary rose bushes and clover plants remain great ways to share beauty and folklore with any child. The memories will last for decades. Take time to share a few minutes with a special kid today. Smell the roses and check for four leaf clovers.