This is how the event used to be every year: I would see the bushes in bloom. I'd drive over to my mom and dad's house, who's yard included a large Forsythia bush. I'd go into the house and say, "Mom, they've bloomed. The Forsythia has bloomed!" That statement, then, made us both exit the house and go out and look at her ever-growing bush. We'd begin to see branches that needed to be pruned, and snap a few of them. Then we'd walk around the yard to look at the rest of the flowers; checking for signs of "green" or buds.
By the time her Alzheimer's had gotten quite advanced, I would tell her "The yellow flowers had bloomed". Then I'd take her out to look at them, making sure she didn't get more than a step or two away from me because they lived on such a busy road.
During her last Winter with us, as I anticipated Spring and flowers blooming, I asked my Dad, "Would you let me have Earl 'till some dirt up in the backyard on the edge of the driveway so I could plant flowers for Mama out there?" He said that would be good, because by this time, we were all afraid of her getting outside the house on her own, going out to the road and getting hit by a fast-moving vehicle. (She tried to leave the house two times on MY watch...) As Winter was near it's end, and March came on the calendar, us kids gave Mom and Dad a card (both their BDs were in March) that said, "Good for one double, canopied swing in the back yard." We were going to put it near the new flower bed, so Mama could enjoy the flowers and be safe with Dad or whoever was caring for her at the moment.
However, that was never to be. The Forsythia bloomed, and a few days later, Mama died.
As I saw their beauty, yesterday, it was very bitter-sweet. I don't recall even noticing that they had bloomed in 2007 or 2008. I guess that shows signs of "healing" - that I again noticed "the phenomenon of Spring". As I looked at the bushes, I said out loud, "They've bloomed, Mama. The Forsythia has bloomed." I drove off with tears in my eyes but then a sort of chuckle under my breath as I heard her answer back, "If you think that's pretty, you should see the flowers where I am~!"
Four days from now, April 21, 2009, it will be two years since she went Home. It is still hard for me to believe it has been two years! But, I'm glad to know that she is able to see the most beautiful profusion of flowers ever imagined by us mere mortals - AND, we don't have to worry at all that she will get out by the busy road; the streets where she is are made of pure gold and the flowers bloom forever... and not just the Forsythia~~!
2 comments:
What a nice tribute to your mom and I can clearly see her snapping off the old leaves and such because it seemed to me that her hands were forever busy!
She dearly loved her flowers!!!
Post a Comment