I love roses. They are my favorite flower. I carried them to both of my high school proms. I also carried them in my wedding bouquet. I particularly love white and pink roses.

Over the years I have bought a variety of rose bushes – hybrid teas, floribunda, David Austin, and Knock-out. My latest purchase was two old-fashioned roses.

For most of my life I have practiced the suck-it-up method. In fact, my family lives by this a good deal of the time. There is a lot to be said for this. We take responsibility for our own actions. We do not let small things derail us. We do not waste time wallowing in self-pity or engage in whining. Instead we do what we have to do, what is right, what must be done to get through whatever the situation is.

There are people who could benefit from sucking-it-up once in a while. People who blame everyone and everything else for their difficulties. Who collapse at the least sign of trouble. Then there are those like me who have practiced it to such a degree that we cause harm to ourselves. There is a dark side to this trait.