The Scent of Lilac

It’s only 7 am and I should still be in bed on this Saturday. But instead I’m on my front porch swing with my cup of coffee and Nyx. I couldn’t sleep any longer.

Not only is today Saturday, but it’s my 60th birthday. I talked about being “almost” 60 for a long time. It didn’t bother me then. But, honestly….it’s bothering me now.

I sit here, thinking. That’s what I do best. But while I think, my senses are being filled this morning. And I am grateful for this gift. I hear a donkey baying in the distance begging for breakfast. The robins have a nest up high this year on my downspout and out of reach of that mean ole cat. The babies are chirping loudly for their breakfast too. Even with all the trees I had removed, the population of birds seems to have increased. Such a variety of song this morning. Across the road from me, I see the fox pacing along the tree line. I heard he was pretty big and he certainly is. He’s been eating my neighbor’s chickens. Such is the circle of life.

But the scent of lilac fills my front porch. I don’t recall it ever being quite this fragrant. Lilac has been a common thread throughout my life. All my 60 years. Sixty. Six zero. I cannot comprehend this.

We had a lilac bush at home when I was growing up in Waukegan. It was a dark purple whereas the one next to my porch here appears white. It’s a light lavender but as it blooms fully it appears to be a light pink, or white. Lovely.

When we lived on our five acre mini farm in the 90’s, my oldest, Nathan, planted lilac outside my bedroom window. He wanted the fragrance to fill my room. That was a thoughtful gift.

When I came home from work a couple of days ago, my sweet daughter, Mattea, placed a stem of lilac on my nightstand. The fragrance filled my room. It was almost too much. But I didn’t dare remove it. I love lilac and it’s only here for such a short time. There is something about this spring that has magnified the sights, sounds, and fragrances ten fold. Even the scent of cut grass has intensified. Maybe after such long and difficult months God is trying to distract us with things of greater importance. What better way to ground us than through His handiwork.

Today is a hard day for me in many ways. I reflect on my 50’s and wow…what a decade. So much life was packed into those ten years. More life-changing events took place there than any other decade. I can’t believe another decade is gone.

The scent of lilac weaves the pieces of my life together. Torn, frayed edges are sown together with the happy, perfectly edged days of my life. Today I am sixty.

Allow yourself to be distracted today too with the sights, sounds, and smells that surround you in nature. Breathe in fresh air. Feel the sun on your face. Smell a stem of lilac.

Embrace your age, and especially, your youth. Time goes so fast. ♥️

Andi