The first time it happened I was only four. “Mommy why are we
stealing these lilacs?” “Do those pretty flowers belong to us?” I was
bewildered as I watched my gentle mother on her tiptoes reaching and snapping
the branches from the vintage purple lilac bush. Soon her arms were filled with bunches of purple
and the succulent aroma made her smile from ear to ear. I must have been
mistaken, my quiet and tender mother would never do anything wrong. Certainly not steal. Captivated by my mother’s
joy I clung to her hand and bounced along as we headed back to our compact
bungalow nestled in a small village in Germany.
World War Two left bomb shelters, broken dreams and poverty
throughout Germany. Yes, the rubble was being transformed into its former beauty
and culture, but families were still struggling to re-establish their former
lifestyle. My young and innocent mother was confined to the bareness and
poverty after a devastating war, and I knew she longed for beauty. We were very
poor. There was no garden to grow fresh vegetables or soil for my mother to
grow the Dahlias, Sweet Williams, pansies or carnations. Her heart yearned to fill our home with vases
filled with cut flowers of every shape, color and fragrance.
MY MOTHER YEARNED FOR BEAUTY
When we moved to Canada it felt like paradise to have our own vegetable
garden and flowerbeds. Mother and I with our knees close together, poked holes
in the soil and she showed me how to gently insert the tiny seeds and cover
them just right. Soon our yard represented a painting of asters, dahlias and
any flowers that survived the harsh winters and cooler summers of Prince
George, British Columbia, Canada. Often, I saw mother heading outdoors with a
pair of scissors to cut just the right combination of flowers that filled many
of our crystal vases. Finally, she had
the freedom to unleash her inner desires and create a home filled with beauty,
peace and fulfillment.
Over time I observed mother expressing and modeling beauty through
various avenues. I was fascinated by the way she hung clothes out in the fresh
air, laboriously and lovingly securing each item with the wooden cloth pegs. With
perfection, she was able to iron and transform dried wrinkled messes into
absolute perfection. For hours she was either on her knees or stooped over a
buffing machine to wax and polish our floors until we could see our
reflections. Somewhere in the house, there was always the aroma of a flower or the
smell of freshly baked bread. She found it difficult to say, “I love you” but
every day she reflected her love by creating images and fragrances that let us
know we were the most important people in her life.
MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME WELL
As the years passed I learned to appreciate and understand her quiet
quest for peace and beauty. Now that I’m all grown up, I live in Kelowna, British
Columbia, Canada. Each spring the earth awakens with Saskatoon berry blossoms,
forsythia bushes and daffodils. My joy erupts when I walk through the
surrounding vineyards, and then along a fence where I find a particular purple
lilac bush. Its branches creep outside
of its normal enclosure and I just happen to have a pair of scissors in my
pocket. Without hesitation I snip off a few branches, carry them home and put
them into a vase to watch them burst open in all their splendour.
Through strolls in the meadows my mother cultivated my heart to
explore and enjoy the simple things in life. I am so grateful that she modeled
how to infuse simplicity with beauty to create a beautiful loving home. My
mother taught me well.
Heidi McLaughlin lives in the beautiful vineyards of the Okanagan
Valley in Kelowna, British Columbia. Heidi has been widowed twice. She is a mom
and step mom of a wonderful, eclectic blended family of 5 children and 12
grandchildren. When Heidi is not working, she loves to curl up with a great
book, or golf and laugh with her family and special friends.
Her latest book RESTLESS FOR MORE: Fulfillment in Unexpected Places
(Including a FREE downloadable Study Guide) is now available at Amazon.ca;
Amazon.com, Goodreads.com or her website: www.heartconnection.ca
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2 comments:
Beautiful piece, Heidi. So many thing remind us of other times and people, especially as we grow older. I think this is one thing that youth can't have. God Bless you this spring.
Loved it, Heidi. Your description reminded me of the wonder of my childhood in a borough east of London, UK. Our town had sights that linger in my memory, including remnants of war defenses and scars from war-time bombings. But there were also many beautiful country gardens, as well as budget-stretching community veggie allotments. ~~+~~
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