In American culture the rose plays a special role. Every New Year's Day in Pasadena, California there is the famed Rose Bowl football game with its array of floats and flowers. In addition, the city of Portland, Oregon on the west coast is nicknamed "The City of Roses" and several states, namely New York, Iowa and North Dakota, have designated the rose as their state flower.

Roses come in a variety of colors ranging from white, pink, yellow and red but it is the red rose which is most admired perhaps because red is the color of one's heart and the heart is the seat of one's passion. It is not strange, therefore, that the rose has a special meaning among flowers for Americans; it is a symbol of beauty, perfection and love. On special occasions, a dozen long-stemmed roses sent to the right person says more than a thousand words. For, if anything, the rose is a symbol of love.

The fragrance of a rose is unsurpassed among flowers. Some may be as fragrant, but none more so. What sets the rose apart from other flowers are the thorns which both protect it and cause pain to those who dare to touch them unwisely. The well-known proverb, "Every rose has a thorn" reminds us that every joy which comes into our life brings its own shadow of sorrow.

A rose, therefore, becomes a metaphor for love. It is both beautiful to the eyes and painful to the touch. This combination of contrasts perfectly symbolizes the poetic meaning of love with all its beauty and suffering.

Roses, therefore, are given only on special occasions and to special people. They are never picked at random and given to just anybody. Birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, and graduations provide the special setting for this appropriate expression of affection. Since roses themselves are so delicate in their beauty, it is commonly believed that they should be given only to women and preferably by men. It would appear most strange indeed for a woman to send a man a dozen long-stemmed roses. For a man to send the same to a woman would emit a definite signal that she is very special in his life. The rose, regardless of its color, is a symbol of innocence and purity.

In associating the rose with love, there is yet one more feature which should be considered. A rose is so delicate that it must be treated with the greatest of care. It is not as sturdy as a carnation which can last a long time. If it is not properly watered, its petals will soon wither and fall from the stem. Such is the delicacy and transience of love. Beauty may be eternal, but we must be careful, it can be easily lost if not properly attended, and pain should never be a deterrent from its pursuit for "every rose has its thorn."