Recalling this Rockwell scene of a Sunday afternoon when I was twelve, I’m reminded that for my mother torrential rains produced a rainbow, and there was always a pot of gold at the end of it. I love her sense of joy and optimism. And her ever-ready willingness to share it.Throughout my childhood and over the course of my adult year when I met with succes my mother presented me with a bouquet of lilacs. And on the days when the lemons were so bitter they simply couldn’t be made into lemonade, no matter how much sugar was added, like the day a good friend passed away; like the day when a long-standing love relationship ended… lilacs arrived from my mother with a note of understanding to match their beauty and sweet fragrance."Spring has always been your favorite time of year," she always reminded. "As alway it’s within."Even so, it was the lilacs made her words ring true. With the sight and fragrance of that April morning’s came the realization of why a trip home was necessary. I needed to assuage my sadnes my feelings of loneliness and melancholy. I was pining. My dear daughter, now an adult, had moved into a place of her own. She now lives many states and many miles away. While happy for her, I mourn the loss of her nearness…That morning, the sight of the lilacs brought my mother’s words back to life. They reminded me that in the midst of an internal winter, a winter that is within, I must recall the beauty of springtime and the scent of the lilacs. So I will not see her as having gone away, but rather as taking part in new and wondrous experiences in a world that has as many springtimes as winters."Dad, the lilacs are in bloom. It’s spring!" I assured my father that day."Hmm," he said, glancing at me, his expression skeptical. Noting my frown, his features softened. "Of course it’s possible that spring has arrived," he placated, smiling. "After all, like you said, the lilacs are in bloom."Oh, for the ever-renewing beauty of springtime! And the sweet and irrepressible scent of the lilacs to remind us that spring is found within.
回忆着我12岁那年这个带有洛克威尔画风的周日下午的场景，我想到，对母亲而言，倾盆大雨过后会出现一道彩虹;无论发生什么事，最后都会收获良多。我爱她那积极乐观的心态，爱她总是乐意与他人分享这种乐观心态的品质。在我的童年时期以及我长大以后的日子里，每当我取得成功时，母亲都会给我送上一束紫丁香。而有的时候，比如好友去世，又如长久的爱情告终时，生命会像苦涩的柠檬，无论加多少糖，也调制不成一杯可口的柠檬水……这时，母亲同样会给我送来紫丁香，同时还附上一张与紫丁香的美丽和芬芳相匹配的纸条，上面写满了对我的理解。“春天一直是你最喜爱的季节，”她总是提醒我，“春天一直在你心里。”尽管如此，还是紫丁香让我感到母亲的话是真的。那个四月的早晨盛开的紫丁香和它那扑鼻的芬芳让我意识到，这次回家是必要的。我需要缓解悲伤、缓解我的孤独和忧郁。我在苦苦思念——我亲爱的女儿已经长大成人，搬出去自己住了。她现在住的地方与我相隔千里。我为她感到高兴的同时，也因为她不再在我身边而伤感。那天早晨，看到灿烂盛开着的紫丁香让我又想起了母亲的话。它们提醒我，即便内心处于漫漫寒冬，我也要记起春天的美丽和紫丁香的芬芳。所以，我不再觉得女儿是离我远去——她是步入了一个全新的、即将迎来更多精彩的世界。在那个世界，春天和寒冬一样多。“爸爸，紫丁香开了!春天来了!”那天我很肯定地对父亲说。“嗯，”他应答着，瞥了我一眼，一副怀疑的表情。看到我皱眉，他的表情柔和起来。“当然，有可能春天已经来了，”他微笑着安慰我说，“毕竟，就像你所说的，紫丁香已经盛开了。”啊，让我们为春天那年年回归的美丽欢呼吧!紫丁香那沁人心脾的芳香告诉我们，春天就在我们心里。
