In Persian culture, the lotus was sacred to Anahita, the goddess of fertility, water, and purity. The rose has long been a symbol of love and desire, with deep roots in ancient MENA mythology.

Anahita Jafary is the KCRA 3 Stockton-Modesto bureau reporter. She graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara, with a bachelor's degree in communication and a minor in poverty ...