THE BLACK ROSE
-By-
Tariq Ansaar Aquil

Few people have ever seen a BLACK ROSE. It is very rare and somewhat Mysterious. The BLACK ROSE is found in the hot desert and high mountain areas. It is often mistaken for other flowers because it is nearly always closed into a bud form, instead of the open appearance normally associated with Roses.

The BLACK ROSE grows in such harsh climate that it only opens its petals at night. The desert sun is so harsh on the BLACK ROSE, and the water that it needs is so scarce that it has adapted itself and learned to exist on very little water and to use its meager resources very carefully. A fortunate scientist happened upon a BLACK ROSE once. Instead of plucking the BLACK ROSE, he let it live.
He observed it over a period of time. What he learned was that once the harsh heat of the sun was no longer beating upon the petals of the BLACK ROSE, and the cool night air played upon it. The soft Petals of the BLACK ROSE opened and at last its full beauty could be seen. As it slowly unfurled its petals the scientist witnessed what caused this wonderful and mysterious flower to be so sought after and to be considered so precious.

The BLACK ROSE, is one of the most Magnificent Flowers on Earth. When the morning came the scientist observed that as the sun rose and the heat began to increase the BLACK ROSE, began to close it's petals and take on the dust colored appearance that would hide it's beauty for another day. So taken was the man by the magic of the Black Rose that he began to slowly stroke the dusty looking petals of the BLACK ROSE.
To his surprise the petals began to open even in the daylight. He used his body to shield the flower from the direct Sunlight until the Sun began to decline. For many women the lifestyle in their homes, work place, and society is like the desert. The woman is treated with such harshness that her situation is very much like that of the BLACK ROSE. The woman has been forced to close herself into a tight ball with regard to her personality and true emotions.The Black Rose has been forced to exist and make herself happy with a diet of little or no real love, Support, or moral strength from outside of herself. Much like their desert counterparts, many women the world over live in a hot desert with the debilitating heat of sexist employers, condescending male co-workers and the general "why don't they stay in their place" mentality that permeates global society. The woman’s ability to survive all of this an yet present herself as model of beauty testifies to her strength and has made her still the much sought after object of males of every race and Nation. It is only at night when the harshness of society and its imposed pressures are at bay, that the woman feels free to remove her dusty armor, cast off the stern face look, and open up showing her true tenderness and beauty. At the rising of the morning light she is forced to return to being Super Mom, Chief Problem Solver or some other imaginary creature that lives to serve mans ego and has no real need for personal satisfaction. By Sun rise all her beauty and tenderness has been covered with the mask of the BLACK ROSE, in its desert habitat. But every now and then a real man (not just a male) comes along. One that has patience and the desire to understand what he sees. One that has the strength of wisdom to carefully apply tender, soothing care and he discovers the beauty of the BLACK ROSE! Even in the harsh world that we live in the woman can and will blossom in the hands of the right man. One that knows how to say the right words that stroke the petals properly and for that most fortunate man the petals will unfurl and he will have the rare opportunity to see within his life The BLACK ROSE. She will open under the worst conditions in the worst times with the right person and show the real personal beauty that she possesses. Just as we have two eyes, yet our focus is one.
And we have two ears, but hear as with one, and as we have two legs yet cannot make progress in any direction unless both legs work as one in one direction, so too must we have the esoteric and exoteric the material and the spiritual. Balance! With that Balance we will see more BLACK ROSES, come into the light of the day.