Lilacs are Memories

My sense of smell may not be at its best this week due to a pretty bad cold, but that didn't stop me from taking a little detour after work yesterday! 

I first noticed Lilacia Park from the train window on my way from Chicago to Wheaton. Since my ticket was limited to the direct route, I never could get off the train at Lombard and then get back on, so I merely stared at the park and hoped to visit one day. That was two years ago.  

Fast forward two years and I'm living only 20 minutes away from Lombard, and Lilacia Park is in full bloom this week. Despite the cold I caught, I wasn't going to miss my one chance to visit the park.

It didn't disappoint! I was a little sad not to have anyone to share the joy with, because I wanted to exclaim out loud at the loveliness! Photos will have to do this time. Maybe I'll have to take a friend here soon too!

When we lived in Havirov, before we moved to Frydlant, we used to have the most glorious lilac bushes in our yard. I used to go outside and stop to smell the lilacs at any chance I could get. They were enchanting to me. At 5 years old, I always wanted to pick them and bring them inside.

I had to take a couple of trips to the States around that same age because of some serious health problems. We stayed in the basement of a family friend's house. She had lilacs in her neighborhood. Thus, another scent memory was born.

My most recent lilac memory is associated with Caleb and Haley's wedding in Ft. Collins. A group of us girls stayed together with Haley and woke up bright and early for the big day. We were staying at some of Haley's friends' house, and someone had picked a bunch of fresh lilacs and put them in a vase in the kitchen. The scent permeated the air in the last moments before we headed to the church.

I strolled around the park, soaking in the beauty of the flowers, and trying to breathe in deeply to take in the scent of the lilacs.

Scent is memory.

I guess that means that Lilacia Park was memory lane.