Often, we as humans get caught up in the future, forgetting that there is a now to be lived, and it is BEAUTIFUL! So that is exactly what that specific idiom means: Relax, take time out of one’s busy schedule to enjoy the beauty of life. But what we actually see is a Rose flower – the connection between the Rose and beauty that seems to transcend time itself, that seems to signify love in it’s greatest magnitude, and that seems to show simple appreciation more than a thousand thank-yous.
For centuries, the Rose in all its beauty and glory has been used to signify peace and love. So much so, that the emblem of England is a Rose. There was a civil war, and at the end of it, there was a marriage in which two houses joined and put their roses together (that is as basic as it gets… and I am using this example to show that I am not over exaggerating on the “centuries”). Just imagine King Henry VII giving the lovely Elizabeth I a Rose as a peace offering… Now bring it back to this modern day and age, where the amount of Roses in the bouquet a guy gives to his lady represents how badly he is messed up.
But the Rose is not just used as a peace offering, but as a symbol of loveeeee. Think Valentine’s day (I wonder how much the average sales of Roses goes up by?), the Rose seems to be the great expression of love that every girl desires, and every guy gives. But why? As mentioned earlier, the Rose and its connotations probably transcend time, but it does not mean that we cannot start somewhere, and where is better to start than where everyone and everything seems to start? The Greeks! The Greek goddess Aphrodite was heavily associated with the Rose flower, with most imagery of her having her adorned with Roses, either about her neck, head or feet. It was said that she was born from foamy water and as she came out, everywhere the foam touched, Roses grew. So, it is not difficult to see how the Rose could have been associated with love and this association carried to this day and age.
Ultimately, the Rose is a symbol that is associated with all things good and beautiful, so next time you do see a Rose, just stop and take a whiff.