When I think of the month of
May, I hear my late mom’s sweet voice singing “White Coral Bells.” While there
are slight variations to the lyrics, here’s how Mom would sing them to me as a
lullaby when I was a little girl: “White coral bells, along a slender stalk.
Lilies of the valley line my garden walk. Oh, how I wish that I could hear them
ring. That will only happen when the fairies sing.”
A few months ago, my husband and
I gathered with friends to enjoy a potluck dinner together, followed by the singing
of folk songs. Among the songs we sang that evening was a beautiful round of “White
Coral Bells.” I could feel Mom’s spirit with us that evening!
Now that May is here, the lilies
of the valley will soon line the garden walk of a lovely friend whose mother
used to sing “White Coral Bells” to her, as well. She has invited me to visit
her when the lilies of the valley are in full bloom and to sing together “White
Coral Bells” in memory of our moms. I look forward to it and hope it will
become our May tradition for years to come.
I also look forward to my own
white coral bells experiment. A dear friend who sports a green thumb and a
master gardener certificate, researched how to best plant and care for lilies of
the valley in a container. She, then, gave one to me for my May birthday last
year. I followed her instructions and hope to see blooming lilies of the valley,
perhaps not lining my garden walk, but at least by our condominium's front door
in a few weeks.
May is a melody of loveliness,
each week a different stanza in a song of beauty. If May had its own song (and
I think it does), I would deem it to be “White Coral Bells.”
