My Mama passed away at my home, in September of 2000.  A few months later our area was hit with a very bitter cold spell, with temperatures dipping below 30 degrees for several days in a row; this is unusual for the area of Florida where I live.

 I was home alone, sitting on the floor of the room where my mother had passed away, looking through some of her things and holding onto her hair brush, letting myself give in to the grief that threatened to overwhelm me.  After a few moments it seemed that something very gently spoke to my heart, telling me to look out the windows on the north side of the room.  The north, east and south walls are all have windows, with the western wall connecting to the living room of the house.  Surely I thought, I must be losing my mind, what could possibly be outside that window to see.  It had been below or near 30 degrees for several days; the garden just outside this window was a crisp crunchy brown.  But again I felt the gentle voice speak to my heart to look out the window.  I had been crying so hard, I could hardly breathe, my spirit was as low as it had ever been in this life, so I gave in and looked out the window, expecting to see nothing but a winter damaged garden.

The first thing that caught my eye was a spot of yellow among all the brown.  At first I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me, but I quickly realized there was a yellow rose on one of the rose bushes in my garden.  I immediately went outside to inspect this rose closer, fully expecting to see what was left of an old rose that had been damaged from the cold.  I could not believe it when I found the most perfect rose I had ever seen in my life.  The leaves were a deep shiny green and so perfect they did not look real, every pedal was as perfect as could be; it was so amazing.  I went into my little garden house, got my snippers, snipped off the rose and carried it inside to place in a bud vase.  I called my sister Jane and together we went out to place this perfect rose on our Mama's grave.   

I can not tell you the reason this happened, but I do believe it was a gift from God to let me know my Mama is still here with me; she has made it through the cold and harshness of this earthly life, and now she is happy and as perfect as this rose. 

Mama and all her children

(Note: The rose in the picture is not the one in my story, this picture was taken during the spring, but it is the same rose bush.  I had planted this bush in memory of Princess Diana shortly after she was killed.)

Ruby Lee Mullis Knight