16/02/2025
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Back in high school, I used to wish for flowers on Valentine's Day, just like every other girl. It’s that time when you start blooming and feeling more grown-up. I’ve always loved flowers because I grew up watching my mom and dad plant them all around our backyard.
When we were in second year of high school, some of our barkada were already receiving flowers from their admirers, but some of us, the late bloomers, didn’t get anything. I remember feeling a bit sad, not just for myself, but also for my friends who didn’t receive anything.
Then I remembered the rose bush my mom and dad had planted. It was full of beautiful red roses. On that Valentine's Day evening, I asked my mom if I could pick a few from the garden to give to my friends. She said yes, and the next day, I excitedly picked 12 red roses. Nine were for my barkada, and the remaining three were for my classmates I had become close to.
I brought them to school and gave them the roses. We usually walked home together after school. Even though I was the only one in our barkada who wasn’t carrying a rose, I felt so happy to be able to give them something meaningful. I was glad to show my friends how much they meant to me.
From that day onward, it became my tradition to bring red roses to my barkada and to any classmates I became close with every Valentine's day. I was lucky that the roses in our garden kept blooming each year, just in time for Valentine’s. The tradition only stopped when I went to college. It’s such a beautiful memory that I still cherish to this day.
