{"id":77,"date":"2013-06-02T00:55:28","date_gmt":"2013-06-02T05:55:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jillmaria.com\/wordpress\/?p=77"},"modified":"2016-08-22T14:21:59","modified_gmt":"2016-08-22T19:21:59","slug":"youve-got-to-smell-the-lilacs-while-they-are-in-bloom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jillmaria.com\/?p=77","title":{"rendered":"You’ve Got to Smell the Lilacs While They Are In Bloom"},"content":{"rendered":"

Prologue: \u00a0Lilacs change very quickly, and in that sense, the post is almost past its time. \u00a0I started it and was not able to finish my thoughts until now. \u00a0I’ve actually been working on this post off and on or a week and a half. \u00a0And yet, because of that, it is important I finish it.\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

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I’m in a musing mode, so this is a reflection on an episode that happened over twenty years ago, along with the events of this week, and the common thread running through them all. \u00a0Lilacs. \u00a0Life. Living.<\/p>\n

In the spring of 1991, I was a young Benedictine Sister. \u00a0 I was going to school full time at Dickinson State University, and lived in a small house three blocks from the school with a couple of my \u00a0Sisters. \u00a0It was very convenient. I could pray in the morning, go to classes, come home for dinner and prayers with the Sisters and go back and hit the practice rooms at night. \u00a0 It was also twenty miles from Sacred Heart Monastery, so I could return quickly and frequently.<\/p>\n

So, I was combining university life as a music major , monastic life, and daily living like preparing meals, shopping for groceries, mowing the lawn, and taking care of the garden. It was a wonderful time. \u00a0Then the phone rings on the evening of May 20, 1991. It is my Mother. \u00a0She says, “Hey Jill Maria, what do you have going this week? \u00a0I have my garden all in, and have a bunch of extra tomato plants. \u00a0I’m thinking of bringing them over.”<\/p>\n

I said, “Our Sister Josephine died, today, and we will have her funeral, \u00a0but other than that I’m free.” \u00a0 Mom said, “Oh, I would like to go to that. \u00a0I am coming over. \u00a0It will be good to see you.”<\/p>\n

Now, that is all well and good, but let me put it in perspective. \u00a0Mother lived eight hours away in Chinook, Montana; and I was in Dickinson\/Richardton, North Dakota. \u00a0 So for Mom to pick up and say, \u00a0“I’m going to drive eight hours to bring you a few tomato plants….” and to do so in the middle of the week without taking my Dad on the road trip was all a little bit unusual.<\/p>\n

\"a_yellow_butterfly_on_my_lilac_bush.preview\"<\/a>Well, she came, and it was gorgeous Spring weather. \u00a0 She got out of the car and hugged me, saying \u00a0“You’ve got to smell the lilacs while they’re in bloom.” \u00a0Fine…. and I \u00a0happy to see Mom. \u00a0But it was still all a bit strange. We had coffee and a good time and planted the tomatoes.<\/p>\n

That night we went to Sister Josephine’s Wake. \u00a0 Now, Josie was from Hershey Pennsylvania, and always had a bit of candy to give, especially to “the Fathers,” \u00a0so that night we passed out Hershey’s Candy Bars to everyone after the service. \u00a0 The next day we buried Sister Josephine. \u00a0 It is a short walk from Sacred Heart Monastery Chapel to the cemetery where we laid Sister with all her old friends. \u00a0 On the way we sang \u00a0“Jesus Remember Me,” \u00a0 and “Surrexit Christus”<\/em> \u00a0 as the casket was lowering in the ground. \u00a0 It was a beautiful, fresh day, with lilacs and spring, and resurrection, and hope. \u00a0We were laying to rest a Sister who lived a long full life.<\/p>\n