Creative Memoir by Jan Rhinehart

'L'Aurore' walking through the peach roses in Square Georges Cain, Paris                               

Enough of winter! In this exquisite, sensitive piece, Jan Rhinehart brings us a whiff of spring.

Rose
by Jan Rhinehart

Somedays I reach out to embrace the day just to be pricked by a thorn. The prick is firm enough to cause bleeding, more internal than external. The external can easily be taken care of:

wash

dry

bandaid.

The internal continues to drip until enthusiasm for the day has been lost. Depression creeps in.

Can I afford to give up a day to doldrums? Can I risk sitting and doing nothing?

I take a deep breath, step out on my patio, tidy a few things, deadhead some plants and then my eyes focus on the rose bush.

There a most beautiful blossom, faint in scent but lovely in form. A smile crosses my face. Calmness surrounds me. Appreciating at that moment, that the day that started as a thorn will end as a blossom--a rose.

About the author: Twenty-five years ago Jan Rinehart was accepted to participate in the Oregon Writing Project. She carried those skills to her classroom and taught beginning writing skills to many elementary students. Since then she has 'flirted' with personal writing but is now ready to 'commit' to daily writing. She has endless praise for the Women's Writing Group for the success she is feeling with writing today.

Paper Heart

I've always loved Valentine's Day.

When I was in first grade, I loved singing "Mail Myself to You" in music class. I loved making a mailbox out of a shoebox. I loved coming home with a list of my classmate's names and cutting out a red paper heart for everyone.

Everyone.

A paper heart for my best friend with whom I chewed gum in bed.

For the girl who wore the cool go-go boots I so longed to wear.

For the girl who lived in a fancy house with stairs.

For the boy I chased in circles around the playground. I'm not sure what I would have done with him if I'd caught him, but it felt so good to run in my white blouse and navy blue skirt, my knee socks and my tennis shoes.

I made valentines for all of the kids in the class. For Mike and Michelle and Ashley. For Chris and Connie. All of them.

Now here's one for you.