A Rose by Any Other Name

Rose is another friend from my Felesky Flynn (FF) days.   I actually knew Rose before Marie as we were on the same floor and she was very helpful in teaching me technical formatting when my own assigned “buddy” was too busy to help.  She also helped steer me through some politics though Rose is generally a quiet and tactful person who doesn’t like getting involved.  So we had that in common right from the beginning.  Once Marie started getting us together we found we had a lot more things in common.  Rose and I love reading (this seems to be coming a theme, doesn’t it?) and I also found a lot of interest in her children and their reading.  Rose began giving me some books that took me in different directions which started me thinking about my new circle of developing friendships.  But more on that a little later.

Rose was also the person who brought to light an aspect of my personality that I had never recognized before.  Epiphany Moment.  She was talking about something in her own life and my “advice” to her was somewhat of a vengeful nature (I don’t recall that actual situation) and Rose observed “Do you know that when you react it is often I a revengeful way?”  I was stunned but as I say, it was an epiphany.  While I almost never actually go through with the vengeful act it is indeed my first reaction.  “You should do this, or say that” and it is not a nice method.  To say I was shocked AT MYSELF is an understatement.  I thank Rose for putting me wise to myself and I take care to keep that vengeful side in check.  Don’t get me wrong, I have seldom found that my first response is not “righteous wrath” with that Biblical vengefulness of the Old Testament salting me reaction but I NEVER act on it.  I happened to mention this enlightment to the gals at one of our weekends and Marie said “Rose keeps us humble” which I took to mean that Rose has not been shy to mention characteristics in other ladies.

 

I think that is a good thing as Rose doesn’t say it to be mean – she is observant and bides her time when she thinks it could be the right moment to let the wisdom fall.

Also I must add another humorous side to Rose.  On our very first road trip I happened to be chatting about toilet paper which I always stash in my car in case of an emergency “incident” and I used the phrase “all my mother’s daughters” have had to go in the ditch at some point.  Rose asked “why did you say it like that?” and I asked “say what?”  “ALL MY MOTHER’S DAUGHTERS?”  um, well, I don’t know, it just seemed like the thing to say.  Rose, who has 9 sisters, thought it was priceless and uses it often in her own family circle now. 

So hey, I can have some influence too.  Friendships are a circle, not one way streets.