Every June 4th, roses appeared on my father’s grave. For ten years, we wondered who left them. This year, I waited by the fence to find out. At dusk, an older man arrived with a white rose and a notebook. He knelt, whispering words I couldn’t hear. When I stepped forward, he admitted it: “Yes, I’ve been leaving them. Your father saved my life.” His name was Raul. Twenty years ago, homeless and addicted, he entered my father’s hardware store planning to steal.
My father caught him, but instead of calling the police, he offered him work. “White roses mean new beginnings,” he told Raul. From then on, he gave him jobs, food, even a place to sleep. Each year, Raul honored him with a rose. When I invited him to dinner, he fit in like family—bringing chocolates for my daughter, flowers for my wife. Soon, he was at every birthday and barbecue.
Later, Raul reconciled with his estranged daughter and met his grandson. Six months after, he died peacefully. We buried him beside my father. At his funeral, people shared stories of Raul’s kindness. In his final letter to us, he wrote: “Keep it going.”
Now, each June 4th, we bring two roses—one for my father, one for Raul.
