Students in Mrs. Katie McIlvanie’s middle school class recently did a “quickwrite” the week of Valentine’s Day with the prompt: “Love is...”

By Lauren Boettcher 

Parents: Chel and Jennifer Boettcher

Love is a rose, it looks beautiful from afar, so the young snatch it, only to be stabbed by the thorns of fights, cheating, and mistakes in general. They learn their lessons and stay away. The older are wise, slowly approaching, holding their rose nimbly, using only the tips of their fingers to hold and avoid thorns. Some people have larger thumbs, so they cannot hold a rose without being pricked. Some merely wish to smell and move on. Others prefer daffodils. Love, like a rose, needs space and time to grow. It needs tender care. Love also dies eventually, no matter what happens. People die, roses perish, and new flowers are planted. A cycle continues. Love also is seen on social media, the selfies, the food, the dates, the anniversaries, and the wedding rings. All put under filters, all shaped to look happy. Because that is what people want. People don’t want to hear the fights, the divorces, or any of the bad stuff that happens in love. But that is ok. It is also ok to fight. It is also ok to break up. Because new flowers are planted, and they need to grow. Love is a rose. Enjoy it when it is around. Love is a rose.

By Emily Dosio 

Parent: Kathleen Dosio

Loving

Others’

Values

Endlessly