For me a rose is one of natures greatest beauty.  I can remember comparing life to a rose and sharing my thoughts with my daughter when she was very small.  First there is the beauty and as we get older, we are still a rose with the beauty taken away.  Naturally her look was "what the devil are you speaking about".  My vote for the rose.

Absolutely gorgeous!  My favorite color too.  Remember the Bette Milder song -         The Rose?                             Some say love it is a river
that drowns the tender reed
Some say love it is a razer
that leaves your soul to bleed

Some say love it is a hunger
an endless aching need
I say love it is a flower
and you it's only seed

It's the heart afraid of breaking
that never learns to dance
It's the dream afraid of waking that never takes the chance
It's the one who won't be taken
who cannot seem to give
and the soul afraid of dying that never learns to live

When the night has been too lonely
and the road has been too long
and you think that love is only
for the lucky and the strong
Just remember in the winter far beneath the bitter snows
lies the seed
that with the sun's love
in the spring
becomes the rose                                    Many Blessings, Marion                                              

Beautiful picture of a most popular flower!

"The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of God stands forever."
(Isaiah 40:8).