吾家有女系列：粉色的母亲节

白露为霜注：“粉色的母亲节”原本是大女儿大宝在高中时写的一篇课堂作文，要求是描写母亲节看到的场景。文章修改后在本地英文报纸上发表。当时大宝13岁。母亲节将近，白露将它翻译成中文，也算交差。

这是五月里一个阳光明媚的日子，当压头的乌云不再成为压抑大家的心情的威胁，日头高照，天空出奇的蓝，如此完美的天气只有在童话里才有。这一天很适合做母亲节。

在玛格丽特·哈恩小学，一群一年级小朋友在剪刀剪出来的卡片上花了好几个小时，施工纸(construction paper)几乎被胶水和闪光粉淹没。另一些则将他们年轻的艺术才华倾注在陶瓷植物盆上，再配上满是树莓香味的蜡烛，在回家的路上却被刮坏或弄脏了。这些是笨拙的礼物，但母亲们崇拜它们。这就是母性的接受和宽容，让她们原谅即使是最大的错误和最坏的表现。

 雨季终于告一段落，我们的好朋友加州的太阳出来玩了。樱花在风中优雅地旋转着，以新的活力继续着他们的快乐行程。空气里有一种初春的花粉气味，以及四月雨(April showers) 所带来的臭名远扬的五月花 (May flowers)  -  盛开的玫瑰，雏菊，康乃馨还有在早已被人遗忘的池塘里的野百合。

随着春天和母亲节前后脚地来到，人人都显得心情舒畅，和蔼可亲。这包括家住街角的凶巴巴的“母老虎”，她的院子里撒满了邻家小孩不敢索回的玩具。从Penngrove大街到Napa的LaPlaza公园，春天的预兆来到的每一个角落，蓬蓬做响的割草机，扑通扑通的篮球，还可以听到交谈的只言片语。

一个非常尴尬的12岁男孩对着身旁的胖女士喃喃地说道，“我爱你，妈妈”。她则兴奋的容光焕发。在层层的大男子主义和男性麻木之下，她知道，那个想要额外的睡前故事和晚安之吻的小男孩还在。穿过新开张的Pacific市场，我看见了个身着深色西装的商人的身影，他似乎手忙脚乱地挑选一件礼物。我因为他的健忘产生的愤慨后来化作理解。毕竟，我也好几次差点忘记母亲节。

杂货店的鲜花部已经售空，情人节后就被人忽略的鲜花又重获青睐。贺卡的制造商，Hallmark，做轻快的生意。

到处都有孩子们向他们的母亲致敬。有些是甜美和讲究，像隔壁的小女孩，身着玫瑰薄纱和粉色缎面，飞向母亲的怀里。有些则是黑暗而沉重，忧郁，心慌的男子将在下午热浪中萎蔫的花束献给一位年长的太太，“母亲节快乐”说的严肃而滑稽，在经历了几乎令人不安的沉默后，大家都跌倒在哄堂大笑中。

那一天，通常叛逆不羁的女儿在母亲的脸颊上亲吻了一下，通常忙的来不及向母亲道别的儿子陪伴她们整整一个下午。那些自认为高于自己父母的年轻人回家来庆祝他们生命中最重要的女人的日子。这个女人曾经是他的洗衣工，厨师，司机，教师，辅导员，多位一体 -- 他们的母亲。

那一天粉红的光泽辐射到世界各个角落。红润的脸颊，含笑的眼睛，甜美的微笑，都戴在兴奋的脸上; 或是平静的怜悯，或是热烈的激情。因为粉红色代表柔情，温暖，和无条件的爱，这都是母性的特征。

母亲节快乐！

It’s sunny day in mid-May, when grim overhead clouds don’t threaten to dull everyone’s mood. The sun’s shining and the skies are a startling blue, weather so perfect it belongs in a fairy tale. It’s fitting for Mother’s Day.

At the Hahn school, first graders spent hours on cards cut out with stenciled scissors, drowning the construction paper in glue and glitter. Or they pour their young artistic talents into ceramic plant-holders, filled with scented raspberry candles that on the way home are scratched and sullied. They are clumsy gifts, and yet mothers adore them. Such is the acceptance and tolerance of motherhood, something that lets them forgive even the biggest mistakes or the worst behaviors.

The raining season has finally come to an end, our friend the Californian sun is out to play. Cherry blossoms swirl gracefully in the wind, continuing their joyful journeys with renewed vigor. The air is fresh with the powdery smell of new spring, and of the infamous May flowers that the April showers bring-- blooming roses, daisies, carnations and lilies in the ancient bird pond long forgotten.

With spring and Mother’s day at each other’s heels, a laughing, amiable spirit pervades everyone. That includes the cranky termagant on the corner lot, whose garden is usually littered with toys the neighborhood kids are too scared to retrieve. From Penngrove’s Main Street to Napa’s La Plaza Park, spring’s harbingers radiate in every corner, spewing lawn mowers, the steady thump of basketballs, and snippets of conversation.                    

A very embarrassed 12-year-old boy mutters, “Love you, Mom” to the plump lady next to him. She glows with pleasure. Beneath the layers of masochism and male insensitivity, she knows she still has her little boy who clamored for the extra bedtime story and good night kiss. Passing the newly opened Pacific Market, I caught glimpses of businessmen in dark suits that seemed to be in frantic rush to purchase a gift. My indignation at their forgetfulness turned into understanding. After all, there were quite a few times when I forgot Mother’s day as well.

The floral department of the grocery store is sold out, blooms ignored since Valentines Day bought and delivered. Hallmark, the greeting card maker, is doing brisk businesses.

Everywhere, there are children paying tribute to their mothers. Some are sweet and dainty, like the little girl next door, who flies into her mother’s arms in a flurry of rose tulle and light pink satin. Others are dark and sedate, the somber, flustered men who hold out flowers wilting in the afternoon heat to elderly ladies with a “Happy mother’s day”, said in such a comical, grave way, that after moments of almost disturbing silence, all collapse into laughter.

That day, daughters who are usually rebellious and unruly kiss mothers on the cheeks. Sons who are often too busy to say good-bye to their mothers spend entire afternoons with them. Young people who think they are above their parents come home to celebrate the day of the woman who had been laundress, cook, chauffeur, teacher, counselor, all in one --- a mother.

The shine of pink radiated from everywhere that day. Ruddy cheeks, laughing eyes, smiles that grace faces with excited flush; they are all bright pink, with a placid compassion, or with heated passion. For pink represents tenderness, warmth, and the kind of unconditional love that are the characteristics of mothers.

Happy mother’s day!