A rose once grew,
Where all could see,
Sheltered beside a garden wall,
And, as the days passed
Swiftly by,
It spread its branches,
Straight and tall….
 
One day, a beam of light
Shone through a crevice
That had opened wide –
The rose bent gently
Toward its warmth
Then passed beyond
To the other side….
 
Now, you who deeply feel its loss,
Be comforted –
The rose blooms there –
Its beauty even greater now,
Nurtured by God’s
Own loving care.