A Lovely Day

She felt the warm rays of the afternoon sun on her body, penetrating her woolen jacket and reaching deep into her bones. What a beautiful sensation it was! She slowly sipped her tea with milk, sweetened with a bit of honey, savoring every drop. It was one of those crisp clear spring days, not too cold and not too warm. She was sitting on the terrace overlooking the garden. She raised her eyes to the sky. Its dark blue color seemed to beckon her to reach out and touch it. In front of her lay the garden rich with colors. A canvass of violet, orange and yellow bougainvillea sprawled over the garden fence. Pink and red geraniums were in full bloom, their leaves a dark bright green. She had to remind the gardener to make cuttings and plant some new pots.

She took a deep breath, taking in the fresh air and the sweet scent of orange blossoms. When had they planted that orange tree?? Oh…that had been so many years ago! Now it stood majestically at the entrance of the garden, like a handsome woman, displaying her beauty every spring and arousing the senses with her deep perfume.

She held the tea cup in both her hands, feeling its warmth running through her body. The exquisite singing of a black bird could be heard from a distance. She closed her eyes and listened to it with reverence, as she had for many years now, awaiting this divine gift of spring, the "song of love" as she had always called it. For her, no music could surpass this enchanting mating song that seemed to usher in the birth of life and love anew.

The sound of laughter came from within the house. It was her grandchildren. They had spent a morning of story telling together. She had never realized how much fantastic stories her imagination could still conjure up until she sat looking into their beaming and eager faces as tale after magic tale flowed from her lips. It made her feel so much alive.

She laid her head back and took a deep breath as the scent of jasmine penetrated her whole being. How sweet life could be!!

"Mother!!" she heard her daughter calling from inside. "You better get in now…it's getting cold. Remember you have to rest…your chemotherapy session is tomorrow."

"Oh…those sessions!!" she cried out loud as her daughter pushed her wheelchair into the house. How she hated them.

"But at least," she thought to herself with a smile, "today had been such a lovely day!"