--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the beginning we start with roses. The…" description: "\"“In the beginning we start with roses. The king’s flower right? Only they wilt in less than a day, especially when exposed to the elements. But Carnati..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f45/ruth-mcleod-kearns-73435_carnations_in-the-beginning-we-start-with-roses-the_1182290.jpg" --- # In the beginning we start with roses. The king’s flower… ![“In the beginning we start with roses. The king’s flower right? Only they wilt in less than a day, especially when exposed to the elements. But Carnations? Oh, what a beautiful flower. They come in every color. True, some are painted, but that doesn’t mean they are less beautiful, and they never…” quote by Ruth McLeod-Kearns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f45/ruth-mcleod-kearns-73435_carnations_in-the-beginning-we-start-with-roses-the_1182290.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f45/ruth-mcleod-kearns-73435_carnations_in-the-beginning-we-start-with-roses-the_1182290.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f45/ruth-mcleod-kearns-73435_carnations_in-the-beginning-we-start-with-roses-the_1182290.jpg) > ““In the beginning we start with roses. The king’s flower right? Only they wilt in less than a day, especially when exposed to the elements. But Carnations? Oh, what a beautiful flower. They come in every color. True, some are painted, but that doesn’t mean they are less beautiful, and they never wilt.”” [Ruth McLeod-Kearns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-mcleod-kearns/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It compares roses, which are beautiful but fleeting, to carnations, which are resilient and varied, implying lasting value over fleeting beauty. **In simple terms:** Caring for lasting, resilient things is better than fleeting beauty. Key Takeaway Choose durability over fleeting appeal. Themes beauty resilience choice Mood thoughtful contemplative Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - gift giving - decor - personal relationships - design choices Key Concepts philosophy metaphor Questions to Reflect On - What do you value more, fleeting beauty or lasting resilience? - How can you apply this to relationships? A Different Perspective Caring for short‑lived beauty may be wasteful; durability may lack excitement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Carnations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carnations/) [Carnations Oh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carnations-oh-3471515/) [Cemetery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cemetery/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Drama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drama/) [Elements Carnations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elements-carnations-3471514/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flower/) [Flowers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flowers/) [Gardening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gardening/) [Loss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loss/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Roses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roses/) [Sad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sad/) [Short story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short-story/) [Sister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sister/) [Start Roses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start-roses-3471516/) ## Related quotes > [My granddaddy on my momma's side, he was a romantic. He loved love songs. Every Valentine's Day, I remember him buying a red carnation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-turner/my-granddaddy-on-my-momma-s-side-he-was-a-romantic-he-loved-love/) [Josh Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-turner/) > [Too quick despairer, wherefore wilt thou go? Soon will the high Midsummer pomps come on, Soon will the musk carnations break and swell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-arnold/too-quick-despairer-wherefore-wilt-thou-go-soon-will-the-high/) [Matthew Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-arnold/) > [The colors that show best by candlelight are white, carnation, and a kind of sea-water green.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-colors-that-show-best-by-candlelight-are-white-carnation-and-a/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [This time is difficult, wait for me: we will live it out vividly. Give me your small hand: we will rise and suffer, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/this-time-is-difficult-wait-for-me-we-will-live-it-out-vividly-give/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [I don't think that there's that much difference between a photograph of a fist up someone's ass and a photograph of carnations in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mapplethorpe/i-don-t-think-that-there-s-that-much-difference-between-a-photograph/) [Robert Mapplethorpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mapplethorpe/) > [“For these dances the boys send corsages, which I keep afterward and keep in my bureau drawer; squashed carnations and brown-edged rosebuds, wads of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/for-these-dances-the-boys-send-corsages-which-i-keep-afterward-and/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [I believe that virtually everyone has the ability to either grow some food at home, or to find an appropriate location to start a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-peterson/i-believe-that-virtually-everyone-has-the-ability-to-either-grow-some/) [Greg Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-peterson/) > [Jesus Christ's claim of divinity is the most serious claim anyone ever made. Everything about Christianity hinges on His carnation, crucifixion, and resurrection. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-palau/jesus-christ-s-claim-of-divinity-is-the-most-serious-claim-anyone/) [Luis Palau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-palau/) > [To win the trophy of enchanting grace: Ranks of Carnations, to all ladies dear, Of whose sweet taste I write approval here, For these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-pitter/to-win-the-trophy-of-enchanting-grace-ranks-of-carnations-to-all/) [Ruth Pitter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-pitter/) > [I don’t love you as if you were the salt-rose, topaz or arrow of carnations that propagate fire: I love you as certain dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/i-don-t-love-you-as-if-you-were-the-salt-rose-topaz-or-arrow-of/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [And in my flower-beds, I think, Smile the carnation and the pink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-brooke/and-in-my-flower-beds-i-think-smile-the-carnation-and-the-pink/) [Rupert Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-brooke/) > [Love is a war of lightning, and two bodies ruined by a single sweetness. Kiss by kiss I cover your tiny infinity, your margins,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/love-is-a-war-of-lightning-and-two-bodies-ruined-by-a-single/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [To the Elysian shades dismiss my soul, where no carnation fades.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/to-the-elysian-shades-dismiss-my-soul-where-no-carnation-fades/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [“(Carnations) The only flower that, when given to someone, is marginally superior to dead ones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisha-pessl/carnations-the-only-flower-that-when-given-to-someone-is-marginally/) [Marisha Pessl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisha-pessl/) > [Sir, the year growing ancient, Not yet on summer's death nor on the birth Of trembling winter, the fairest flowers o' th' season Are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/sir-the-year-growing-ancient-not-yet-on-summer-s-death-nor-on-the/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## More by Ruth McLeod-Kearns > [“Becky was a weed.  Nobody ever wanted them taking over the bigger, prettier plants.  People went to all extremes to make them go away. …](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-mcleod-kearns/becky-was-a-weed-nobody-ever-wanted-them-taking-over-the-bigger/) [Ruth McLeod-Kearns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-mcleod-kearns/) > [“The morning was brisk and the coffee was hot and roasted with little gurgles in the room. Rosie hadn’t moved, but she let out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-mcleod-kearns/the-morning-was-brisk-and-the-coffee-was-hot-and-roasted-with-little/) [Ruth McLeod-Kearns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-mcleod-kearns/) > [“Without direction, the respiratory technician goes to the head of the bed. She takes the tubing, attaches it to the oxygen, and turns it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-mcleod-kearns/without-direction-the-respiratory-technician-goes-to-the-head-of-the/) [Ruth McLeod-Kearns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-mcleod-kearns/) [Explore all 4 Ruth McLeod-Kearns quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-mcleod-kearns/) ## More Carnations quotes > [My granddaddy on my momma's side, he was a romantic. He loved love songs. Every Valentine's Day, I remember him buying a red carnation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-turner/my-granddaddy-on-my-momma-s-side-he-was-a-romantic-he-loved-love/) [Josh Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-turner/) > [“(Carnations) The only flower that, when given to someone, is marginally superior to dead ones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisha-pessl/carnations-the-only-flower-that-when-given-to-someone-is-marginally/) [Marisha Pessl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisha-pessl/) > [To the Elysian shades dismiss my soul, where no carnation fades.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/to-the-elysian-shades-dismiss-my-soul-where-no-carnation-fades/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [Love is a war of lightning, and two bodies ruined by a single sweetness. Kiss by kiss I cover your tiny infinity, your margins,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/love-is-a-war-of-lightning-and-two-bodies-ruined-by-a-single/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [And in my flower-beds, I think, Smile the carnation and the pink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-brooke/and-in-my-flower-beds-i-think-smile-the-carnation-and-the-pink/) [Rupert Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-brooke/) > [I don’t love you as if you were the salt-rose, topaz or arrow of carnations that propagate fire: I love you as certain dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/i-don-t-love-you-as-if-you-were-the-salt-rose-topaz-or-arrow-of/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [To win the trophy of enchanting grace: Ranks of Carnations, to all ladies dear, Of whose sweet taste I write approval here, For these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-pitter/to-win-the-trophy-of-enchanting-grace-ranks-of-carnations-to-all/) [Ruth Pitter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-pitter/) > [Jesus Christ's claim of divinity is the most serious claim anyone ever made. Everything about Christianity hinges on His carnation, crucifixion, and resurrection. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-palau/jesus-christ-s-claim-of-divinity-is-the-most-serious-claim-anyone/) [Luis Palau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-palau/) > [I believe that virtually everyone has the ability to either grow some food at home, or to find an appropriate location to start a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-peterson/i-believe-that-virtually-everyone-has-the-ability-to-either-grow-some/) [Greg Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-peterson/) > [“For these dances the boys send corsages, which I keep afterward and keep in my bureau drawer; squashed carnations and brown-edged rosebuds, wads of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/for-these-dances-the-boys-send-corsages-which-i-keep-afterward-and/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [I don't think that there's that much difference between a photograph of a fist up someone's ass and a photograph of carnations in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mapplethorpe/i-don-t-think-that-there-s-that-much-difference-between-a-photograph/) [Robert Mapplethorpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mapplethorpe/) > [This time is difficult, wait for me: we will live it out vividly. Give me your small hand: we will rise and suffer, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/this-time-is-difficult-wait-for-me-we-will-live-it-out-vividly-give/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [The colors that show best by candlelight are white, carnation, and a kind of sea-water green.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-colors-that-show-best-by-candlelight-are-white-carnation-and-a/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Too quick despairer, wherefore wilt thou go? Soon will the high Midsummer pomps come on, Soon will the musk carnations break and swell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-arnold/too-quick-despairer-wherefore-wilt-thou-go-soon-will-the-high/) [Matthew Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-arnold/) > [Sir, the year growing ancient, Not yet on summer's death nor on the birth Of trembling winter, the fairest flowers o' th' season Are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/sir-the-year-growing-ancient-not-yet-on-summer-s-death-nor-on-the/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) [Browse all 20 Carnations quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carnations/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“In the beginning we start with roses. The king’s flower right? Only they wilt in less than a day, especially when exposed to the elements. But Carnations? Oh, what a beautiful flower. They come in every color. 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