Wednesday, July 9, 2008

To My Mother




Happy Birthday Mom. You would have been 85 today! Ten years ago this past May, your body left our Earth to travel somewhere else.

"Where are they?" my little sister lamented, referring to both our parents, who had died within 8 weeks of each other.


Good question. It gave me hope. That they could actually "be" somewhere. Not just dead and gone.


My mother bought a hibiscus plant way back in the 80's. She took good care of it and it bloomed well for her. After she died, I took it to my house. It bloomed well for me too - until the last 2 years.
I thought that perhaps it was coming to the end of it's life, so put it in a shady section of my garden.


Early this morning, clad only in nightgown and barefeet (couldn't be bothered to find my flipflops), with coffee mug in hand, I stepped out on my back deck to wish my plants "good morning".


After making the rounds, I felt something pulling me over to the shady nook where Mom's hibiscus rested. It seemed quite happy in this quiet shady spot, under the protection of a lilac tree, while lily-of-the-valley leaves tickled its feet (those fragrant little bell-like flowers are long gone, leaving only the leaves behind).


Maybe it was the muses.... maybe it was my thinking about Mom on her birthday and how much pleasure this large, but lush and beautiful plant had given her over the years.... but when I walked over for a closer look.......I was astonished to see a bloom! One bright pink bloom . Right on her birthday!


I could not believe my eyes. So I took a pic (above) and one more from a different angle. It had been raining earlier, so I wasn't sure how the pics would turn out. But it doesn't really matter. All of us can see her happy hibiscus flower smiling down on everybody.


I think flowers are magic, don't you?




14 comments:

mj said...

Ahhhhhhhhhh...sounds like your Mother is springing forth on this joyious day. A little reminder that she may be gone, but she won't ever let you forget her! I love this post! I hope that plant continues to thrive in that shady nook where you place it.

Mary~

Bear Naked said...

What a wonderful thing to happen on her birthday.
God does work in mysterious ways.

Bear

Cheryl said...

Hi Wendy.....lovely post to your mother and a beauitful bloom sent for the day....
Do those that leave us not stay in our hearts....
I know when times are bad for me, those that I have lost walk with me and see me through dark days.....

Hope that your memories today are sweet.........

Abba's Girl said...

What a beautiful gift on her birthday!

Annette

Wendy said...

Hi Mary, Oh yes, Mom is reminding me of the joy of nature - for she is the one who taught me all about flowers and gardening and respecting the Earth.

Hi BearNaked - I agree - God does work in mysterious ways.

Thank you Cheryl for your kind comments. My memories of Mom are good ones.

Hi Annette - the gifts of nature are the best ones, I think.

JeanMac said...

Her flowers were magic for you - so happy.

Wendy said...

Thanks Jeanmac - they were magic. Another time, I went to visit her grave. Hadn't been there in a year or so. It was Mother's Day and I wondered if there would be any daffodils or tulips blooming.
When I arrived I was surprised and very pleased to see 5 tulips blooming. Mom and Dad had 5 children, so that was very significant!

Beverly said...

I'm so glad your hibiscus bloomed for you on your mother's birthday. When my daddy died in 1964 (I was 22) someone gave my mother a bougainvillea. That plant grew and grew and bloomed and bloomed. After 11 years, Mother remarried and her husband was always moving things around in the yard. I don't know how many times he moved that bush, but it continued to bloom through the years.

Losing your parents so close together must have been hard. When my daddy died, it was the third major loss my mother had gone through in a thirteen month period. Both her mother and daddy died and then her husband, my daddy died within a thirteen month period. I wondered later on how she kept her sanity, but she did.

Lori B said...

That is wonderful and magical! Beautiful story.

Rose said...

A lovely post, Wendy. I don't think it was coincidence that the hibiscus bloomed on your mother's birthday. You have kept your memories of her through the flower, and somehow she is reminding you of her presence. You are carrying on her love of gardening.

denverdoc said...

I think a mother's plants are magic. I never took more care in placing my mom's things than I did with her plants. I just love the ones I kept myself (couldn't keep them all!) and every time they bloom, I think of her. A birthday bloom is a precious present.

Wendy said...

Hi Beverly, your poor mother! So many losses in one year! Not easy. I'll bet that bougainvillea is still beautiful, wherever it is now.

Thanks L.K. Hope you are enjoying the summer.

Thanks Rose, I know it wasn't a coincidence. My sister said the other day that she strongly felt Mom's presence out on their back deck. My sister was sitting with her 2 daughters and there was an empty chair. They were sure Mom (granny) was drinking lemonade with them too - just like she did when she was alive.

You're right Judy - a mother's plants are magic. I think I will root some cuttings of this hibiscus and give each of my children a plant from their grandmother.
I am glad you are enjoying your mother's plants too.

Mary said...

I understand. That bloom is from her, you know :o)

I have my Mom's pink rose bush. It suffered this spring and I've been working to keep it alive. When I see a bud, I always think of her.

Lovely post, Wendy.

Wendy said...

Hi Mary, I hope you can keep your Mother's pink rose bush. Flowers are such a wonderful reminder of our loved ones.