Token of Love

Gardenias were my mother's favorite flower. I am not sure how or why they were planted in our yard but our house was surrounded by 6ft high gardenia bushes. In the summers, our home smelled of gardenias and were always displayed on an end table, nightstand, or countertop.

I never really appreciated the flower until many years later. I believe my mother's love for the flower grew from the love she and my father shared.

My father would always pick the first gardenia bloom and place them in a small vase besider her bed. Imagine waking with the morning light to the sweet aroma of gardenia and opening your eyes to see such a simple but perfect gift sitting on the table beside your bed, looking as though the blossom were saying, "Good morning, Love!" My father would also pick the last gardenia bloom and give it sweetly to my mother. He would come in while she was cooking dinner and wrap his arms around her offering the beautiful ivory jewel to her. I believe my mother gave a little more of her heart to him with each bloom and so their love grew and grew. This sweet token of love is one of my fondest childhood memories.

The aroma that would fill our home and the love that bloomed there reminds me of the expression of love and respect that Mary showed to Jesus when she annointed his feet with perfume and dryed them with her hair (Jn. 12:1-3). What a beautiful sight it must of been to see her express her love for our Savior, her kneeling before him, gently touching the oil to his skin. Then looking upon the face of Jesus...seeing the hint of a smile and the look of admiration reflected in his eyes. The perfume would have filled the room bringing everyone in unison in the event as it unfolded.

Whether you were a participant or just an observer, your every sense of sight and smell would join you with Christ in this ceremonial annointing so deeply that you would feel the warmth move through your heart and soul as the oil flowed over his body. And for this short, brief moment you were so full and so thankful for being a part of this special token of love.