Lilac Lane

There are two seasons in Toronto:  Winter and Construction.  The balconies of our vertical village are undergoing a major transformation, and the unavoidable drilling is in the mega decibels.  Fortunately, there's a quiet street not far away, that is worlds away from the noise!  A lifetime away...  

You know the lilac trees are nearby, even before you see them.  Their fragrance fills the air.  Breathing the sweet, rich perfume instills a deep sense of calm.  It's a fragrance that awakens long forgotten memories of childhood.

 

I can hear the sound of my Dad whistling, for the four of us to come home, that Mum had dinner on the table.  I can see him, standing on our tiny porch - still wearing his crisply ironed white shirt, but having removed his tie - the early evening sun shining on him.  He was VP of BCIT, yet a down to earth family man with no pretensions.   

  

 

He planted the lilacs, next to the old pear trees that had been on the property before our home was built.  It was where he found the frail robin which had fallen out of its nest.  He brought the robin into the house, and placed him in a cloth lined shoebox, before leaving for work.  That day, we fed him bread which had been soaked in warm milk.  We found the old hamster cage, which gave the young robin a little more room. 

The robin grew, and weeks later, we took him camping with us, driving in a packed station wagon all the way up to Barkerville, in Northern BC.  The robin would fly freely around the campsites, and always return to rest on Dad's shoulder, or my little sister's arm.  When we returned home, he was set free for the last time.

Walking down "Lilac Lane", I was set free.  My heart soared like the birds.  The stress and upheaval of life, disappeared.  I am ever grateful to my Dad for teaching me how use a camera, and more than that, being able to appreciate the beauty that is always just steps away from us.

Photographs Copyright of:  Ruth Adams, Widows Endorphins Photographic Images Inc.