strength

Her soul needed refreshing 

she returned to the sea

when the waves came, her troubles leave

her hair played with the wind

her smile swept across her face

she felt the universe give back her grace

early morning from darkness to light

rise into colors of orange, pink, reds 

she nodded and watched, no words said

Her soul needed refreshing 

she returns always to the sea

where the waves come, her troubles leave 

Copyrighted:  2017 CMM

                                                 The Gift

I find myself (as I do every Christmas)  thinking back to a

special lady who always made Christmas so loving. There was

one gift I always remember and treasure is the one from

Grandma.

She was old and retired. She was living on a very limited

income. Each Christmas she would set up a tree no taller than

2 feet. It was artificial and set on a little table covered with cotton

from old boxes replicating snow.

She would take the little money she had and buy each of her

grandchildren hose for the girls and socks for the boys. Even

today I remember her going to the little tree. Her hands had

become old with swollen joints and trembled just a little as

she picked up the little gift wrapped in thin paper from the year

before. There was always a thin ribbon, usually red tied to the

gift. Handing me the little gift, she would say, “It’s not much.” I

would always smile to her and say, “Grandma, you have no idea

how much I needed hose.” She would smile and sit next to the

little tree. Today that gift keeps giving back to me. It was love.