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The Gift of a Mother

The Gift of a Mother
06-10-2005


It just happened,
The Way
She was lying in bed
When I chanced
By her open door,

That her silhouette
Suddenly appeared
Just as that
Of her 3-year-old self.

I was about
Morning Chores

When Suddenly
Out of the Corner
Of my Eye,
I caught Her
Sleeping Visage.

Back turned,
Laying sideways,
Head buried
In her pillow

Bedclothes piled around,
There she was…

My Toddling Little Girl.

I stood There,
Caught.

The lighting
Trickery
Brought out her short
Tousled Curls,

Back when
It was just finally
Starting to grow.

Head turned,
Her Face appeared
Smaller
And Younger.

I felt the pangs
Of Beauty
Of Sorrow
Of Fear
As I turned to continue.

Sorrow that Time
Seems to pass so quickly

That I Haven’t
Held
My Baby
As Much
As I’ve Desired.

Fear that Time will
Escape
From my grasp
Completely

And I might
Forget
Or Lose
This Moment Forever.

Beauty because a single Glance
Holds an Infinity
Of Joy
And Knowing.


As I passed on
Through the house
Capturing
The Reflection in my Mind,

I Saw that it was
The Gift
Of a Mother

To see Her Child
So.

To Know Her
So.


For a Mother has the Privilege
To See Her Child in Ways
Even her own beautiful Child
Will never See.

To watch Her Child
Grow and Develop.

To Remember
The Quirkiness,
The Sweetness,
The Sheer Innocence,
The Purity of Heart.

To Remember
Their Boldness,
Their Courage
And Determination,

Their Worries,
Their Challenges.

The Privilege to
Nurture them,
Teach them,
Guide them,
Protect them,
To Set Them Free…

It’s all Summed
Within a Glance.

As I came back
By her room…
There She was again.

Face returned,
Angelic in her dozing,
Cuddled into blankets,

Transformed
In a second

From
The Toddler
To the Girl.

All that She Is,
Flooding Back
To Me
In Pride
And Joy.

A rare Moment
Of Experience;
Remembering
With Feeling
Yet again,

How our Time
As Parents
Of Little Ones
Is so Small.

I have Seen
Beauty
That no one else
Will See,

Nor ever can.

I have the Privilege
Of the Truth:

You don’t know Her
As I Do.
You haven’t seen
What I have Seen.

It is My Prize.
My Gift.
As a Mother.

It is the Gift
Of my Mother.

To See
The Face of God.

Copyright © 2005 by Julia Meek Chambers, All Rights Reserved.