Theremembranceoflilacs紫丁香的回忆ThefamilyhadjustmovedtoRhodeIsland,andtheyoungwomanwasfeelingalittlemelancholyonthatSundayinMay.Afterall,itwasMother'sDay--and800milesseparatedherfromherparentsinOhio.ShehadcalledhermotherthatmorningtowishherahappyMother'sDay,andhermotherhadmentionedhowcolorfultheyardwasnowthatspringhadarrived.Astheytalked,theyoungerwomancouldalmostsmellthetantalizingaromaofpurplelilacshangingonthebigbushoutsideherparents'backdoor.Later,whenshementionedtoherhusbandhowshemissedthoselilacs,hepoppedupfromhischair."Iknowwherewecanfindyouallyouwant,"hesaid."Getthekidsandc'mon."Soofftheywent,drivingthecountryroadsofnorthernRhodeIslandonthekindofdayonlymid－Maycanproduce:sparklingsunshine,uncloudedazureskiesandvibrantnewnessofthegreengrowingallaround.Theywentpastsmallvillagesandburgeoninghousingdevelopments,pastabandonedappleorchards,backtowheretreesandbrushhavedevouredoldhomesteads.Wheretheystopped，densethicketsofcedarsandjunipersandbirchcrowdedtheroadwayonbothsides.Therewasn'talilacbushinsight."Comewithme,"themansaid."Overthathillisanoldcellarhole，fromsomebody'sfarmofyearsago,andtherearelilacsallroundit.ThemanwhoownsthislandsaidIcouldpokearoundhereanytime.I'msurehewon'tmindifwepickafewlilacs."Beforetheygothalfwayupthehill,thefragranceofthelilacsdrifteddowntothem,andthekidsstartedrunning.Soon,themotherbeganrunning,too,untilshereachedthetop.There，farfromviewofpassingmotoristsandhiddenfromencroachingcivilization,werethetoweringlilacsbushes,soladenwiththehuge,cone-shapedflowerclustersthattheyalmostbentdouble.Withasmile,theyoungwomanrusheduptothenearestbushandburiedherfaceintheflowers,drinkinginthefragranceandthememoriesitrecalled.Whilethemanexaminedthecellarholeandtriedtoexplaintothechildrenwhatthehousemusthavelookedlike,thewomandriftedamongthelilacs.Carefully,shechoseasprighere,anotheronethere,andclippedthemwithherhusband'spocketknife.Shewasinnohurry,relishingeachblossomasarareanddelicatetreasure.Finally,though,theyreturnedtotheircarforthetriphome.Whilethekidschatteredandthemandrove,thewomansatsmiling,surroundedbyherflowers,afarawaylookinhereyes.Whentheywerewithinthreemilesofhome,shesuddenlyshoutedtoherhusband,"Stopthecar.Stoprighthere!"Themanslammedonthebrakes.Beforehecouldaskherwhyshewantedtostop,thewomanwasoutofthecarandhurryingupanearbygrassyslopewiththelilacsstillinherarms.Atthetopofthehillwasanursinghomeand,becauseitwassuchabeautifulspringday,thepatientswereoutdoorsstrollingwithrelativesorsittingontheporch.Theyoungwomanwenttotheendoftheporch,whereanelderlypatientwassittinginherwheelchair,alone,headbowed,herbacktomostoftheothers.Acrosstheporchrailingwenttheflowers,intothelapoftheoldwoman.Sheliftedherhead,andsmiled.Forafewmoments,thetwowomenchatted,bothaglowwithhappiness,andthentheyoungwomanturnedandranbacktoherfamily.Asthecarpulledaway,thewomaninthewheelchairwaved,andclutchedthelilacs."Mom,"thekidsasked,"whowasthat?Whydidyougiveherourflowers?Isshesomebody'smother?"Themothersaidshedidn'tknowtheoldwoman.ButitwasMother'sDay，andsheseemedsoalone，andwhowouldn'tbecheeredbyflowers?"Besides,"sheadded，"Ihaveallofyou,andIstillhavemymother,evenifsheisfaraway.ThatwomanneededthoseflowersmorethanIdid."Thissatisfiedthekids,butnotthehusband.Thenextdayhepurchasedhalfadozenyounglilacsbushesandplantedthemaroundtheiryard,andseveraltimessincethenhehasaddedmore.Iwasthatman...
