The time of lilacs

 

There are some flowers that only appear for a short time. Lilacs are an example. The pale lilac variety only blooms for a few weeks in October and then they go brown and quickly fade away. The white and dark purple variants extend the season a bit.

There is a mournful French song “Le temps des lilas et le temps des roses” which expresses the transience of love. For me it is a reminder of the relentless movement of time. That nothing lasts forever, neither the good nor the bad.  It reminds also of the Peter Paul and Mary song version of the Ecclesiastes “for everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven.” We like to think we can determine time and place for our enterprises and plans. Sometimes this is possible, sometimes it is not. Every now and again we have to reassess: what am I still able to do, what do I want to achieve with the limited time and strength that I have?

 

One thing I know: I enjoy capturing moments with these pictures. The lilacs are down in Station Street. I almost missed the season, by putting off going out with my camera. Roses dominate the scene longer, and this year they are opulent. In the picture, the roses could well be in a country cottage garden, but in fact they are one block away from Sydney Road.