Love is a rose - would you still love?

Six minutes to six says the clock over the information booth in New York's grand central station. The tall young army officer lifted his face to note the time. In six minutes, he will meet with the woman who had filled a special place in his heart. For eighteen months, they had written back and forth but finally, they would get the opportunity to meet.

Lieutenant Bryant Ford remembered one day in the midst of the enemies planes how her words had sustained him. She had written him a few days earlier...''when you fear, remember that all brave men do and the next time you doubt yourself, I want you to hear my voice reciting to you-yeah, though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for thou art with me...''


At four minutes to six, a girl passed closer to him and he started to get up but realized she was not wearing the red rose they had agreed upon. She was wearing a blue rose and she was only about eighteen years old. He remembered Mandy said she was thirty. His mind went back to those many times he had asked her to send him a picture of herself but which she had refused, insisting that love and friendship does not depend on looks, ''you will get to know me when you come back from the war, just imagine I'm plain looking'', she said. 

At about a minute to go, a young woman emerged, walking towards him. His heart leaped. She was slim, her blond hair lay back in curls. Her eyes were as blue as flowers and in the pale green suit she wore, she looked like all he ever dreamt of but then, she wore no red rose. As he got us to go to her, he saw Mandy right behind her. 

She was well past forty years, her grey hair tucked under the worn hat and the red rose attached to a roughened coat. She was a little more than plump. He felt his heart broke into two, looked towards the lady in green suit and back to Mandy. He hesitated for a brief second then thought of the great friendship they had. ''This would not be love but a special friendship'', he thought. He stepped towards her and said, ''I am Lt. Bryant Ford and you are Miss Mandy, I am glad to finally meet you, may I take you to dinner?''.
 The woman's face broadened in a smile. ''I don't know what this is all about son'', she answered. ''That young lady in the green suit asked me to wear this red rose on my coat. She said if you asked me to go out with you, I should tell you she is waiting for you in that restaurant across the street''. 

Take a pause at this juncture. The people you claim you love now, why do you love them? If your fiance/fiancee were to cease being beautiful or say your friends were to stop being cool or perhaps your sponsors are no longer able to meet your needs, WOULD YOU STILL LOVE?

Think about it...