Monday, Freewrite, Red Rose. First thought, best thought. I am of the rose. My name is Daniel De La Rosa. There are these little Mexican candies called de la Rosa. They are Marzipan, a sweat almond-flavored treat.
Now as a kid, it was fun to see a candy at the store with your last name on it. I wouldn't always get them, but I always had to look and pick them up. And say hey look, pointing to de la Rosa. With a big smile and thinking that's my last name. I don't know why but it was all silly, simple, and true enough for little me.
Now I am of the Rose, Daniel De La Rosa. You know what a rose is right? It grows towards the sun, blooms its beauty for all to see, and has sharp thorns waiting for anyone unaware to get cut, to remind them don't mess with beauty.
Most of all, being of the Rose reminds me and connects me to my grandma who is the greatest rose of them all. She a beautiful old Mexican lady, but tough as they come. I grew up in her kitchen, watching her make tortillas, and cooking great meals for the whole family. When I got older, I learn to make tortillas. And when we would make them, she began to tell me all her stories.
I began to learn how really beautiful she really is and how those thorns got sharpened. She grew up a farm, her parents where field workers, they were 'dirt' poor, literally the floor to the room they sleep was dirt. She never finished school, because she had to take care of her brothers and sisters. But she is the wisest Rose of them all. All that I am and will ever be, and will ever pass down to anyone, will come from that beautiful Red Rose.
So when I first saw that de la Rosa candy in the store, I had to get it. I begged my mom to buy it for me. She did. And I didn't eat it, I waited the next day when I got dropped off at grandmas, to give it to her. To my great strong Red Rose. Look, pointing to our last name. In her warm embrace, everything was alright forever and ever. We are of the Rose.
