This past April while visiting my parents on the farm I’d grown up on, I wandered outside to drink in the feel of "home", a comfort I really needed right then. I was used to sunny Southern Californian morning and the brisk early-morning Iowan air nipped at my nose, ears and bare hands.With my father’s fleece-lined jacket wrapped around me, and my hands snuggled deep in its well-worn pocket I meandered around the spacious homestead when the unexpected sweetscent of lilacs suddenly called to me. Turning toward the bountiful hedge of lilacs in the distance, I spotted what looked like blooms. I hurried over.The lavender lilacs were indeed in glorious bloom! I pulled a plentiful clump to my face and inhaled the intoxicating scent, as I had done every springtime throughout my childhood. A warm delight seeped through my chilled bone and I smiled at the thought that spring had arrived!Strolling back to the house, the promise of springtime—warmth, renewal and beauty—journeyed right along with me.My father sat at the kitchen table, poring over the morning market reports."It’s spring! The lilacs are in bloom!" I joyouslyannounced."Lilacs in bloom or not, it isn’t spring until winter is gone," he contradicted. "We’ll get a bit of cold weather yet."
刚刚过去的那个四月，我回到我在那长大的农场探望我的父母。我在屋外漫步，沉浸在“家”的舒适感觉中——当时我真的很需要家的慰藉。我习惯了加利福尼亚州南部那阳光明媚的早晨，艾奥瓦州清晨凛冽的空气使我的鼻子、耳朵和没戴手套的双手感到一阵阵冰冷的刺痛。我穿着父亲的一件羊毛衬里的夹克，把它裹得紧紧的，然后把手深深插进它那残破的口袋里，漫步在广袤的农场上。这时，一阵紫丁花香意外地扑鼻而来。我转过头去，看到远处围栏边一丛丛茂密的紫丁香似乎在怒放。我赶紧跑了过去。淡紫色的丁香花的确在灿烂地怒放着!我拉过一大束，凑到面前，尽情地闻着那令人陶醉的花香——童年的时候，每年春天，我都会这样闻闻紫丁香。一股温暖的喜悦沁润了我冰冷的身骨。想到春天已经来了，我不禁微笑起来。我漫步回家，一路上，春天的征兆——温暖、万物复苏和美丽一直萦绕在我心头。父亲正坐在厨房的餐桌前，出神地看着早晨股市播报。“春天来了!紫丁香花盛开了!”我欢欣雀跃地宣布。“不管紫丁香开不开花，只有冬天过去了，才是春天，”父亲反驳说，“寒冷的天气还要持续一段时间呢。”
But my heart refused to let the optimism that the lilacs had brought to me fade. Immediately, I recalled the card my mother had sent me just that past week—one that had subconsciouslyinspired this trip home. My mother knew that I was feeling down. On the cover of the card she sent me was a photo of a single flower emerging from a desolate barren slope of rock. Theexquisite flower willed itself to have life, in spite of the conditions around it. Inside were the words "In the midst of winter, I found within me an eternal spring," followed by my mother’s words:"Spring has always been your favorite time of year. As alway it’s within."These are words that my mother, ever the optimist, lives by. Even in the midst of winter, she finds spring."It’s pouring rain!" Dad once said."Everything smells so fresh after a rain!" Mom responded."But I’d wanted to get the yards mowed today," he replied, obviously disappointed."We need the rain," she countered. "Now everything will be greener.""But the forecast is rain for the entire day," Dad moaned."Then we should go to the movies this afternoon," Mom smiled."It’s so expensive," he retorted."That’s precisely why we should go to the matinee," she countered. "Three of the kids can get in free, and it’s only half-price for the rest of us."
但我内心深处不愿意让紫丁香刚刚带给我的期待消失。我随即想起上一个星期母亲送给我的一张卡片——正是那张卡片促使我潜意识地作了回家的决定。母亲知道我那时心情不好。她送给我的那张卡片的正面是一张照片，照片上是一朵花，它从一块岩石的荒芜贫瘠的斜面上生长出来。尽管周围的环境十分恶劣，这朵娇嫩的小花却顽强地绽放着生命。卡片里面有一些文字：“在隆冬里，我在内心找到了永恒的春天。”紧接着还有一句母亲写给我的话：“一直以来，春天都是你最喜爱的季节。春天一直都在你心里。”这就是我那永远乐观的母亲的人生信念。即使是在隆冬，她也能找到春天。“下大雨了!”有一次父亲说。“雨后的一切闻起来是那么的清新!”母亲回答说。“可我本来想今天割院子里的草的，”父亲带着很失望的语气说。“我们需要这场雨，”母亲反驳说，“大雨过后一切会变得更青翠。”“但天气预报说，这场雨会下一整天，”父亲抱怨道。“那我们今天下午应该去看电影，”母亲笑着说。“票价太贵了，”父亲反驳道。“那恰恰是我们应该去看下午场的原因，”她回答说，“三个孩子可以免票进场，我们其他人只要半票。”
