A Tribute to Carmelita: Rose of Unconditional Love

The casket  sat adorned with white crème roses on the mantel at the Angelus funeral home.

 
symbolic of the unconditional love Carmelita shared with everyone she encountered.

This tribute is a memory and a recognition of the Rose Breast Cancer Society,
an organization initiated by her mother to honor legacy through advocacy and care.

Roses were vital to Carmelita—
just as my own name carries the same symbolism,
a connection to the infinite grace of the rose .

The sight  of roses brings me calm serenity.
Their scent  soothes the lungs.
In medical care, they offer comfort.
And in cuisine, their taste  is a delicacy—
from Turkish desserts  to Persian Sholeh Zard rice pudding ,
from macaroons to drinks  and herbal teas .
Just two drops of rose oil can transform a dish.

Everyone seeks a way to amplify the rose’s power—
its aroma, its strength, its soul.

That special deluxe oil—rose oil—is among the most precious:
10 to 100 times more expensive than common oils like lavender or peppermint.
It takes 600,000 rose blossoms to produce just one ounce.

This is the essence of Carmelita’s legacy:
a life of fragrance, resilience, and unconditional beauty.