My granddaddy on my momma's side, he was a romantic. He loved

The words of Josh Turner—“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 for my grandmomma, my momma and my sister. That was something you could count on every year.”—resound with the gentle strength of tradition, with the enduring power of love made visible in simple acts. In this memory, he does not praise wealth, grandeur, or heroic deeds in the worldly sense. Instead, he recalls the humble gesture of a man who, year after year, honored the women in his life with a flower. And in that small ritual lived something eternal, something greater than spectacle: the quiet majesty of consistency in love.

To say his grandfather was a romantic is not to say he was reckless, or given to fleeting passions, but that he believed in the sacredness of expressing love. He delighted in love songs, melodies that carry tenderness across generations. And more than just words or music, he made love tangible through the yearly gift of a red carnation. This act was not random, nor born of whim; it was a covenant, a living rhythm of affection that those around him could trust. It was love made dependable, love turned into tradition, love that became a foundation for memory.

This remembrance carries echoes of ancient wisdom. In every age, lovers have used flowers as symbols. The Greeks spoke of roses as gifts of Aphrodite, the goddess of love. In medieval courts, knights bore tokens of blossoms to their ladies as signs of fidelity. And here, in the life of Turner’s grandfather, the carnation becomes more than a flower; it is a ritual, a living emblem of devotion that crosses generations. From grandmother to mother to sister, it became an inheritance of tenderness, a reminder that love is not only spoken, but shown.

History gives us other such examples of steadfast gestures. Consider Abraham Lincoln, who though consumed by the weight of war, never ceased to write tender letters to his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln. His love, often strained by hardship, still found its way into words and acts of remembrance. Like Turner’s grandfather, Lincoln understood that the power of love is not in its occasional grandeur, but in its constancy—in showing again and again that affection endures, even when life is heavy.

The meaning of Turner’s reflection is therefore twofold. First, it honors the romantic spirit of his grandfather, who believed that love must be expressed openly, joyfully, and with beauty. Second, it teaches us the power of ritual—that repeated, dependable gestures build trust, memory, and a sense of belonging. His grandfather’s carnations were not just flowers; they were anchors, symbols that said: You are loved, you are remembered, you are cherished.

The lesson for us is clear: do not underestimate the power of small, consistent acts of love. Grand gestures may dazzle for a moment, but the steady offering of kindness builds a foundation that endures across lifetimes. To be remembered for your consistency in love is greater than to be remembered for one fleeting display. Let your family, your friends, your beloved, know that they can count on your love, not just once, but always.

Practically, this means finding your own “carnation”—a gesture, a ritual, however small, that embodies your love in a dependable way. It may be a note left on the table, a call each morning, a song sung at the end of the day, or a flower given faithfully each year. What matters is not the size of the gift, but the steadfastness of the heart behind it. In such ways, you will plant memories that grow like gardens in the souls of those you love.

Thus, Josh Turner’s memory becomes a teaching for all: romance is not only in the grand but in the steady; not only in passion but in ritual. His grandfather’s carnations were more than blossoms—they were a legacy of love that carried through generations. Let us then strive to leave such legacies, so that our children and our children’s children may say of us: They were romantics, and we could count on their love every year.