Desert Rose

Desert Rose is a story about courage. It's a story that I've heard in bits and pieces since my childhood. I suppose it's not uncommon for every family to have a storyteller. In my case, my great aunt took that role. She was my mother's aunt, and the sister of my grandmother. There was seldom a holiday visit that didn't include reminiscing on days-gone-by. My mother also intermittently shared memories about her family in response to current life events.

I was always able to visualize my mother's commentaries with vivid clarity. With the passing of the years, my mother has penned many of her memories. I have taken hold of her documents, and dug deeper into the stories by questioning her further, reading my grandmother's letters, and researching the historical facts surrounding certain dates and specific locations.

This story was inspired by my mother's mother, born in the year 1900, who sought liberty at a time when women were not allowed the vote. My grandmother possessed strength of spirit throughout the Great War followed by the Great Depression. This tale of love and resolve lives in my heart.

I have caught myself, many times, comparing the struggles in my life to the events that my grandmother lived through. My knowledge of her life experiences, and what she made of them have given me strength and fortitude in my own times of trial.