The Passing of the Torch

i am daughter of my mother

granddaughter of my grandmother

both of whom are not gone,

but simply changed.

i know not how,

for it is not in my power to know.

and whatever the great mystery

holds within its depths,

will present that insight to me

when my time comes.

but for now, i reflect.

it has taken me many years

to realize...

to really, TRULY, realize

the gift i was given

when my grandmother moved in with us

all those many years ago

it wasn't always easy

for the two of us to live together

to co-exist peacefully

or even civilly.

thankfully,

we made our peace

long before this moment

we arrived at the place

where we could share our thoughts

and say 'i love you'

and now, as i reflect

i see

that as a girl

i had not one,

but two,

mothers.

two strong,

fiercely determined,

hard-working mothers:

one who went out into the world

to support her family

who worked long hours

and more than one job

so that i could have opportunities she didn't,

so that i could follow my passions;

one who remained in the home

and made it what it was:

a clean, safe, healthy environment

where i was nourished with home-cooked meals

every day of the week.

i remember when

she taught me to play jacks

i remember her crocheted afghans

hanging over the chairs.

i remember the baking and cooking...oh! the glorious food...

christmas cookies

fry bread

barley soup

and even the ones i wasn't so fond of...

pigs feet

liver and onions.

and now the legacy

these two women,

mothers,

left to me

is mine...

to remember

to inspire and be inspired by

to live

to share

to pass down to my daughter, my son.

and now,

when i seek my mother,

i step outside

i let the great mother

wrap her arms around me

i feel her wind brush against my cheeks, move my breath

i dig my toes into her earth

i let her rain cleanse my body, my spirit

i bask in the glow of her light.

or perhaps when i seek my mother,

i look within.

i open my heart

i remember my mother,

and her mother,

and all the mothers before them.

i honor women

woman

the thousands upon thousands

who have nurtured

nourished

worked

struggled

loved unconditionally

laughed

danced

prayed

and i bask in the glow of the light

i find within

and though they will never be replaced,

when it is flesh-and-bones mother i crave

the blood of my kin,

i have only to look

to the women who also carry the torch

that was handed down

from this woman

to whom we now bid farewell,

the women who carry within them

my mother, my grandmother

and all our mothers before us

and i am comforted.

and i am loved.

and i am joyful.

~*~Love to you my mothers, my sisters...~*~

May the Great Mother hold you within her Heart.