TRUE. today

The flowers look beautiful today. I feel disappointed, I realize. That is absurd. I have been struggling for two years now, I should be pleased, more than pleased. But I am tired, tired of constantly being enthusiastic, tired of picking up the pieces with a smile time after time, tired of bad flower quality, tired of the malfunctioning supply chain. Have I given up on my dream? No, I still believe in the variety, I still believe in the brand, but after having had to recharge my battery so often, it seems to have died.

I knew from the start that it was not going to be easy. Pioneering in a super-conservative industry. What seems logical for others is revolutionary in the flower business: giving the consumer value for money, giving a potential beautiful product the contents it deserves.

When I set out on my trek I had my grandfather's memoirs in my drawer and started to use his drawing pad to keep my own diary, my TRUE. story. Underlining the successes, as my friend Wilma had advised, and reading back at times of setback. Inspirational, indeed, like my grandfather's life story of perseverence and tapping your talents, even when turning blind after having lost your soulmate after 60 years. 'Who am I to complain?', used to be my regular reaction. But not today.

On http://www.true-rose.com/ there is an interview with me in which Job of KesselsKramer calls me 'the father of the TRUE. rose'. Today I realize a deeper meaning to this. A father is never relieved from the care of his child. I have four, I should have known. Today, I have five. I have an innate moral and emotional duty to look after it, to guide it to maturity.
Instead of adding this to my grandfather's drawing pad and publish it at a later stage, I chose to blog it instantly, start a new chapter as a true father. The TRUE. father.