Wild Ginger Flower

Wild ginger flower has always been one of my favorite flowers. Growing up, there was always a bush right outside my grandma's place. I loved standing next to the flowers, suck all the smell in.

I can remember when I was young, it was really cheap to buy them. My mom would always get a big bunch, put them in the house. At night, when we walk into the house, the smell of wild ginger flower would fill the house and wait for us.

We used to go visit an old family friend in a small mountain village. On the way to his place, there is a little stream on the road side, with wild ginger flowers growing all along it. One summer, when we came back for vacation, we stopped at the stream, took some roots and brought them over the South Africa with us. I planted them right outside my window, so I could see them whenever I felt homesick.

I don't think I've ever seen them in other countries. So the time I saw them outside the Sydney Opera House, I was so happy I couldn't stop talking about it.

After college, I came back to Taiwan. I don't see them as much any more, it seems. It feels like a part of my life was taken away from me. One day, we drove by the little stream again and I saw them. I asked my mom to stop the car and got the roots again.

I planted the roots right outside my bedroom window again. Two years later, I have my own little wild ginger flower garden. Whenver there's a breeze, we can always get a hint of the flower's scent.

I like to stand next to the flowers in the garden, suck the smell in. Just like what I did when I was young.