The meaning of yellow roses

Yellow roses back home are a sign of parting. We give yellow flowers to people that are about to leave our lives for ever. We bring yellow flowers to funerals.

I remember when I was in school, I had a really cool French teacher. She loved children, was super energetic and talked all the time. That is the best kind of professor you can have when you are trying to learn a foreign language. Or any subject for that matter. You fell in love with French just because of the teacher. She was hyper, passionate and kind.

I was in grade 7, and was about to move schools. This one day in late September, I was visiting all my favorite teachers to let them know about my plans and thank them for being so great. I have talked to many already, but I left time at the end to stop by my French class.

It is customary to bring flowers and chocolates. Although, I only remember bringing flowers for my French teacher. I was young and not yet that versed in the traditions of local superstition. And I got her 3 yellow roses. She didn’t say anything at that moment, but her eyes got teary.

When I told my mother about this experience, her hands went up in the air. But of course she was emotional, I had brought her the “goodbye forever” flowers. I didn’t understand. To me, yellow meant joy. But tradition was saying otherwise.