Mother's Day
You are no longer here
But I saw you this morning
For a brief moment
The twinkle in your blue eye
The smile on your kind face
The fire in your spirit
The courage in your mind and heart
Just a tiny glimpse
The warmth of your hug
Has diminished with time
Worn to a simple, faded memory
The sound of your voice
I can hear on the rare occasion
Only with my eyes closed tightly, concentrating
Just a tiny whisper
You taught me how to practice courage
You showed me it is practiced in the everyday as much as the milestone moments
You believed courage was both a roar and a whisper
You knew courage was beautifully fierce and fragile
It was your courage in practice that brought me here
It was your courage in practice that kept me here
Your practice became your ally, your confidante, your teacher
And it was your courage in practice that walked you quietly home
Many a Mother's Day has passed
Since I made breakfast with you
Each year just not quite the same
That reality simply changes things, doesn't it?
But today I saw you
Just for a passing moment
Your goodness, beauty, pain, and joy
In the mirror as I washed my face
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt from 'The Little Things That Remind Me I'll Be Okay' by Tonyalynne Wildhaber.