The Japanese say, that if the flower is to be beautiful, it must be cultivated. But there is no way to hold something that is truly beautiful, not without consequences. That is why roses have thorns. And a thorn protects the rose, harming only those who would steal the blossom. But he who dares not grasp the thorns should never crave the rose. For the rose speaks of love silently, in a language known only to the heart.

Love is not something that you find, though. But much rather, something that finds you. It is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies. To love and to be loved, is to feel the sun from both sides. It is what makes the ride worthwhile. To some, it is better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all. Because where there is love, there is life. With love in our lives, we are not who we used to be. And this love is the rose that blooms forever.

But this is not a love story. It is my life, and as such, there is love, loss, war, death, and sacrifice. It is about the things that needed to be done and choices that needed to be made. It is our choices that show what we are far more than our abilities. And sometimes, even the smallest of choices can change your life. We all make choices. But in the end, good or bad, right or wrong, our choices make us. I cannot say I regret any of my choices because they all led me to him. He is my light, my love, and my world. My name is Grace Lynn Bordeaux, and this is my story.