Rose Day: Why Lotus, Not Rose, Truly Symbolizes Love

Rose Day is celebrated during Valentine’s Week, when people around the world exchange roses to show love and affection.

Many cultures associate roses with romantic love, and giving a rose is a common tradition on Rose Day. However, the lotus flower more deeply signifies devotion and spiritual growth within a relationship. For couples, the lotus whispers of a deeper commitment, a love that thrives amidst life's murkiest waters. Unlike a rose, which fades with difficulties, the lotus rises from the mud, its pure petals untouched by the dirt, symbolizing steady devotion.

Rose Day: A Time to Celebrate Love, But What Does It Really Represent?

The lotus flower’s symbolism for couples includes devotion, hope, fertility, and perseverance. Lotus flowers with white or pink petals symbolize purity and devotion, factors that help build a lifelong bond with your partner. Gifting lotus jewelry can remind your significant other of unwavering dedication. In nature, the lotus flower’s roots sink deep into the mud of ponds and lakes, but the flower itself bursts forth from murky waters, acting as a symbol of undying hope even in uncertain circumstances. 

Giving lotus flower jewelry as a special gift can remind your significant other of continuing hope. In ancient Egypt, the lotus flower was a symbol of the goddess Heqet, patroness of fertility, childbirth, and labor, so giving a lotus flower can serve as a protective amulet. Displaying dedication and perseverance by wearing and giving lotus jewelry shows dedication to a relationship for the long haul. The lotus perseveres through murk and mud to bloom above the surface of the water, and similarly, partners persevere through difficult times and come out stronger together.

The Rose Day Fallacy

The current understanding of Rose Day often misses the essence of true love. Roses, though beautiful, symbolize only a fleeting attraction. The commercialization of Rose Day often reduces love to a mere exchange of gifts, devoid of deeper meaning.

The Lotus and Surrender to the Divine

The lotus, on the other hand, represents surrender to a higher power and embodies purity, remaining unaffected by the material world. This profound symbolism aligns with the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, where the divine accepts offerings of leaves and flowers made with devotion. Thus, true offering lies in devotion itself.

The True Meaning of Love

Love is about giving without expecting anything in return. Like a lotus that blooms beautifully despite the mud, true love stays pure, no matter the situation. Giving a flower represents our love and care. A flower’s short life reminds us that life is brief. In our time here, we should serve others selflessly, just like the flower shares its fragrance.

The Essence of Rose Day

The essence of Rose Day should not be limited to the exchange of roses. It’s about understanding the true meaning of love and devotion. By sharing a lotus, we remind ourselves and others that real love is about giving without expecting anything in return and having a pure heart. The act of giving a lotus signifies that we are offering our best selves, just as we would offer our devotion to God.

In conclusion, while Rose Day is all about giving roses to show affection, the lotus represents a deeper kind of love and devotion. Unlike the rose, which fades over time, the lotus symbolizes strength, purity, and lasting commitment. It rises above the murky waters, representing the resilience and enduring strength found in true love. The lotus is a reminder that love goes beyond superficial attraction, and that it thrives through difficulties with dedication and hope. 

Embracing the lotus on Rose Day encourages us to reflect on love’s deeper meaning: selfless devotion and the purity of heart, much like the divine offerings described in ancient teachings. By shifting our focus to the lotus, we can celebrate love in its truest form, one that is constant, untainted by external circumstances, and built on a foundation of spiritual growth and commitment.