Assignment #11 - The Concrete Rose

Did you hear about the rose that grew from a crack in the concrete?

Proving nature's law is wrong it learned to walk without having feet.

Funny it seems, but by keeping its dreams, it learned to breathe fresh air.

Long live the rose that grew from concrete when no one else ever cared.

- Tupac Shakur

    “Did you hear about the rose that grew from a crack in the concrete?” When I read this line of Tupac’s poem I see myself as that rose and my parents are the concrete. Roses are not supposed to grow from cracks in the concrete. My dad was not supposed to be capable of having children. My father was told that after his accident at Las Alamos he would be sterile. Needless to say, I was a surprise. I was the rose that grew from the crack in the concrete.

    “Proving nature’s law is wrong it learned to walk without having feet.” My parents both came out of bad marriages before they met each other. My mom had already had three kids and my dad willing took them in as his own. They were both wounded from their first marriages. They were walking without feet and love was their crutch, but the unique thing about a crutch like this one is that it is shared. Neither of them were ready to get back in the dating game but they kept running into each other like it was just meant to be.

    “Funny it seems, but by keeping its dreams, it learned to breathe fresh air.” It was hard for both of them to let go of their pasts. My mom had just left a very abusive husband and was a young mother of three. My father was a soldier of 6 years asked to leave the Army due to the stories his wife was making up. My mom told my dad she would not date any Hispanic man under 30 and my father was both. My father did not plan on dating as he had full intentions of reenlisting as soon as things cleared up with his ex-wife. Well, both my parents had time to “breathe fresh air” and they found new dreams with each other. By holding onto these dreams they have been able to live them in contentment.

    “Long live the rose that grew from concrete when no one else ever cared.” To my parents, it seemed as if no one but them cared about their lives and aspirations. My moms pregnancy with me is what caused them to get married and here they are 17 years later, still married despite all the trials life has given them. No matter what obstacle is placed on their path they will always overcome it. In this case I would say “Long live the concrete that bore the rose when no one else ever cared.” My parents being the concrete and I being the rose that they bore.