Lilingayon Rose Farm: Stop and Smell the Roses

A visit to the Rose Farm at Lilingayon, Bukidnon last March 2015.

“When the laborer has been under a pressure of work and care, and is overworked in mind and body, he should turn aside and rest awhile, not for selfish gratification, but that he may be better prepared for future duties.” {ChS 247.4}

 

I remember when I was still small I found a book and read this idiom “take time to stop and smell the roses”.  This idioms means to relax, take time out of one’s busy schedule in order to appreciate and enjoy the beauty of life. In addition, it simply means just to stop from the hustle and bustle of life, reflect on things and just appreciate what you have. In my young mind at that time, I never knew that I will need a lot of this when I grow up.

I love to do nature trips during my day off. I’ve been planning to visit the Rose Farm at Lilingayon, Bukidnon since then. Hearing about the place stirred my curiosity. I asked a friend who is at Lilingayon at that time and fortunately she said that it’s near her place.

You can see a Pineapple plantation in Lilingayon, Valencia, Bukidnon.

 

As the saying goes “Take time to stop and smell the roses”, I took it literally and headed to the Rose Farm. Lilingayon is one of the barangays in Valencia City. It is near Mountain View College, Mt. Nebo, Valencia, Bukidnon, my alma mater. From Bagontaas, Lilingayon is reached through a public jeep or a motorcycle.

 

It was not far from the house of my friend in Lilingayon. We just walked into the woods, enjoyed the undiscovered scenery that was just hiding there and of course took pictures.

 

This thing is called “Karomata”

Moving on, we were amazed of the Rubber trees that were just there all this time. We even thought of having a wedding ceremony there.

 

Into the woods.

We passed through a bridge with a stream underneath and the water element was just so relaxing.

We passed through a house and I finally had a glimpse of the Rose Farm.

The Rose Farm.

 

Honestly, when I heard of Rose Farm, my imaginations exceeded reality. I thought it was a very large company who invested on the roses, where roses are covered with a green house. But I actually asked before going there so that my expectations were managed.

 

Upon arriving there, we saw that it was indeed a very simple garden on a little hill with rows of blooming roses in different colors. Honestly, if you take a picture of the whole garden, it is not that photogenic since the leaves dominate the picture.

Looking closely, you can see the true beauty of a Rose. Some roses are just opening its bud and some are already blooming. The colors are mostly red; but fuchsia pink, light pink and yellow are also present. We asked permission from the caretaker to take pictures, have a tour and we were permitted to do so. We were also told that the owner was not there.

*

*

*

*

It was refreshing to visit this place. By that I mean it’s not every day that you get to see blooming roses unless of course if you live here. One tip to remember though is if you plan on surprising someone that needs a lot of roses, it’s a wiser decision to buy from here since it’s really cheaper and it’s wholesale price. You need to calculate the cost though if you are from afar.

Up close.*

Reflections:

• It is God’s plan for us that we should stop and smell the roses. Amidst the busyness of life, we do not just take time to slow down, appreciate and reflect on things but also commune with our Savior moment by moment. I find nature trips helpful for me because going to nature makes me think of the Creator.

Loving the nature also means loving the One who created it.*

• Appreciate what you have in life whether it be family, friends, job, ministry, nature, and everything you can thank God for.

Thank God and thank them.*

• Just as roses look better with close-up shots than when taken picture together as a whole, we can somehow appreciate something when we look at them closely. The same is true with things, people and situations. One doesn’t just look superficially, one also needs to examine closely.

• A Christian is also likened to a rose. One line in a song goes “If it never, never rains, then will never, never grow”. A follower of Christ can only grow through trials. With this in mind, may we bloom like the roses do in the Rose Farm as we grow in our spiritual garden.

That day taught me the “stop and smell the roses” habit and I hope to apply this for everyday of my life.

*Photo credit: Ms. Ann Gabrielle Baragona.