The resilient lilac

Just outside my kitchen window stands a tall lilac bush. Its green leaves are luxuriant even in this summer's heat. This past spring, I spied showy fragrant blooms. You would never have guessed that the bush almost died. In September 2003, Isabella, the deadliest hurricane ever recorded, passed through and almost split the lilac in two. "It's gone," I thought. Still, I trimmed the broken branches and hoped for the best. Gradually, it revived, a pale imitation with no sign of flowers. Time passed. Then, lo and behold, the lilac flowered, although the blossoms were very light in color. In subsequent springs, the flowers took on their original hue. My lilac refused to give up. A lesson from my  garden.

The resilient lilac
Photo: SockFoon