Every year, my dad (not so much now since my siblings and I are all across the country) has carried on the tradition of individually taking my siblings and I out on a Daddy-daughter/Daddy-son date the night before our Birthdays. We are able to choose whatever we want to do, as long as it was reasonable. After a while I wondered what the meaning behind it was. He explained how he believed that when we lived with our Heavenly Father in the pre mortal life before we came to earth, He spent one-on-one time with us before our departure. Hence my dad carried on this symbolic tradition.
I was thinking about this a few days ago--how it must have been if we were to spend that one-on-one time before what may have been an exciting yet heavy goodbye. I personally have never liked goodbyes. I also find some of the greatest pleasure in just spending alone time with those I care about--the one on one time whether it be even just going for a walk swinging on swings or sitting on a bench in good conversation. How remarkable it would have been if I were able to spend a similar type of set aside time with my Heavenly Father!
Somehow I began to think of how when we say goodbyes, we are sometimes given tokens of appreciation and love to convey the message, "Don't forget me--I'm here." Perhaps, in theory, I had a special last night with God. It would have been difficult for my Heavenly Father--who loved me for everything I was--from my quietness at times to my rambunctious spontaneity, the talents I carried (which I believe would have been dance, painting, possibly gymnastics and piano), my curly red hair which he knew would turn into a fro and every other part of me--to see me go. He wanted me to come back safely to His presence when the right time came. He wanted me to never forget Him. He wanted me to remember the strengths I was given and what I was capable of during the conflicts and challenges in mortality. As His gesture of genuine love, understanding was given. It was to be a reminder of what is most beautiful in life. It was to be a forget-me-not and a "You can do this." A beautiful bouquet of roses was given. Not six, not twelve, not even thirty, but Sixty-Five.
Now, here's more about the name "Sixty-Five Roses." It's a nickname carried on ever since a young boy overheard his mom telling of his condition to one of her friends on the phone. When she hung up, he asked, 'What's sixty-five roses?' since he could not pronounce "Cystic Fibrosis."
Cystic Fibrosis is a genetically inherited chronic illness which prohibits the CFTR proteins from opening up, preventing the transport of chloride ions and movement of water in and out of cells to function properly. This causes the mucus in the lungs and pancreas to be thicker and build up more, which can lead to infection in the airways, malabsorption of nutrients and the inability for the pancreas to produce digestive enzymes to break down food. Some patients later on develop diabetes from the pancreas being unable to produce enough insulin to regulate the body's glucose. To try to keep everything under control as much as possible, we CF patients complete lung treatments to loosen mucus in our lungs, take digestive enzymes whenever we eat to make up for what our bodies don't make, take extra vitamins that are not absorbed, exercise to increase our body's overall function and keep our lung function scores up to the best of their ability, and much more (depending on the patient.)
So...now back to my (in-theory) story I brought up...
You're probably thinking, "Well, that doesn't sound pretty to me...why are you comparing it to a bouquet of flowers God gave you? Why would He do such a thing?"
Yes, there are the ugly, unglamorous times I've had with CF.
And that's how many experiences in life turn out to be.
Now let's take a look at Lehi's words to his son Jacob in 2 Nephi chapter 2 in the Book of Mormon:
"2 Nevertheless, Jacob, my firstborn in the wilderness, thou knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain."
3 Wherefore, thy soul shall be blessed, and thou shalt dwell safely with thy brother, Nephi; and thy days shall be spent in the service of thy God. Wherefore, I know that thou art redeemed, because of the righteousness of thy Redeemer; for thou hast beheld that in the fulness of time he cometh to bring salvation unto men.
...
11 For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my firstborn in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.
12 Wherefore, it must needs have been created for a thing of naught; wherefore there would have been no purpose in the end of its creation. Wherefore, this thing must needs destroy the wisdom of God and his eternal purposes, and also the power, and the mercy, and the justice of God.
13 And if ye shall say there is no law, ye shall also say there is no sin. If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness. And if there be no righteousness there be no happiness. And if there be no righteousness nor happiness there be no punishment nor misery. And if these things are not there is no God. And if there is no God we are not, neither the earth; for there could have been no creation of things, neither to act nor to be acted upon; wherefore, all things must have vanished away.
14 And now, my sons, I speak unto you these things for your profit and learning; for there is a God, and he hath created all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are, both things to act and things to be acted upon.
15 And to bring about his eternal purposes in the end of man, after he had created our first parents, and the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and in fine, all things which are created, it must needs be that there was an opposition; even the forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter.
As Lehi is talking about this Eternal Law that the Savior overcame through His Atoning sacrifice, enabling us all to live again, he talks about why Adam and Eve were to partake of the fruit, even though they were commanded not to. They were commanded to "multiply and replenish the earth" and if they had not partaken of the fruit, they would not have been able to do so. In addition, we learn in verses 23-25: "they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin. 24 But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things. 25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy." (emphasis added.)
If Adam and Eve had not partaken of the fruit, they would not have known good from evil, happiness versus misery. We find ourselves in a similar position in life. We may find ourselves in the "ugly, unglamorous" stages of our lives, yet without them, we too would not know how to find joy without knowing the misery and hard times.
Sometimes we sure feel the roses' thorns.
But when you see a rose, what does your attention draw to?
Its color. Its pleasant scent. Its beauty.
God's large floral arrangement, as it was His "forget-me-not," has reminded me to turn to Him. Again. and again. No, Cystic Fibrosis is not the only thing that has made me turn to Him. I've still faced family struggles, countless moves, when I was cyber-bullied after a very rough time in life, dumb boy drama that comes from being a girl, the challenges that come through school and a whole lot more as it's just all part of life. Yet through all stages, this floral arrangement has reminded me again and of His love as He's helped me pull through them. There's so much more to feel and see as there's much goodness to focus on and joy to experience.
Sixty-five roses...that's something that's helped me focus on what's beautiful and meaningful in life.
Even if it also be sixty-five roses that were given to you, what has helped you to know how to see and make the most of everything?
That's all for now.
April showers, May brings flowers...like roses...like sixty-five roses.
Let's spread this CF awareness! :)
