Rutabagas and Roses
- Laura Deane
- Aug 15, 2021
- 2 min read
Rolinda lived in a rustic stucco one-story near a giant redwood situated not far from the coast in the northwestern Italian region of Piedmont. On weekdays, she worked for a real estate agent in the nearby town. In the evenings and on weekends, she grew roses in her favorite colors—red, white, rusty rose, and pink—on a small acreage. She also raised chickens and had a noisy rooster. She loved rain and rainbows, rocks and the area river’s slow and steady passage.
Tomas was a relative who felt he was responsible for Rolinda because she borrowed money from him once. And even though she paid him back, he was rich and felt he knew exactly what others should do, especially Rolinda.
“You should plant rice!” Tomas said one day.
“Rice takes irrigation. It would take a lot more work to put in ditches,” Rolinda said politely. “And I’m trying to do most of the work myself.”
“That’s your problem,” Tomas said condescendingly. “You try to do everything alone. You need to get someone to help.”
“That requires money which I don’t have. Unless you’d like to help.”
Tomas snorted at the audaciousness of her suggestion.
“You should grow rutabagas!” he said the next day.
“I don’t like rutabagas,” Rolinda responded.
“What you like or don’t like doesn’t have anything to do with it. You have to be practical.”
“I think plants know if you like them or not. Rutabagas wouldn’t grow well for me. Roses like me and I like them. They’re my friends.”
Tomas snorted his typical derisive snort. “That’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever said.”
“You should grow radishes!” Tomas said the following day.
“But I don’t like radishes. They’re too spicy.” Rolinda wrinkled her nose in distaste. “I like growing roses.”
Tomas regarded her with disappointment. “You will not have food for the year, growing roses. and I won’t help you again. You will come to ruin!”
“Thank you for your concern, Uncle Tomas.”
Rolinda continued working happily on her ranchette. Her roses bloomed and her chickens thrived.
One day Rolinda entered a rose competition in Turin, and out of the many submissions, her roses won first prize--$500!
While she was in the city, she bought rice and rutabagas and radishes for Uncle Tomas. She bought Roquefort for herself because she loved cheese. And when she got home, she put money away for the food for the rest of the year.
Moral of the Story: Do what you love and you will win. Don’t let others tell you what to do or try to “fix” you. You do not need “fixing”. If you decide to make any changes, You make that decision—how, where, when, why and what.
Copyright August, 2021 Laura Deane LLC
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