and Never Alone

I walked alone tonight… in the cool air and in the sleepy neighborhood.

I walked alone as I stretched my neck to see the crescent moon floating in the dark… perched like a mirage.

I walked alone as I spotted the first lightning bug of the summer… It hid from my eyes in spurts as I tried to track its path.

I walked alone with my shadow. I followed the flowing giant from lamp post to lamp post. Its pace was steady.

I walked alone with the sounds of the tree frogs… they sang as one in the echo of the streets.

I walked alone with our dog Cash… the rhythm of his collar kept tempo within my footsteps. He marched from curb to curb, staying alert to my reassuring voice.

I walked alone with the stars that blinked through the treetops. They remain constant and observant.

I walked with my memories of the quiet and of the calm. As I trace my steps… never alone.

                                                    Shannon R Killman

Through it All

I held an old photograph, its edges scalloped. The image was of a beautiful young girl. She held a tiny baby doll in her arms. You looked lovingly into her big blue eyes that closed and opened as you moved her up and down. All around were the things you needed to keep her safe… her blanket, her bottle, her toys and her crib. When your mother asked what you had decided to name your new little girl, you held her close and looked through her long shiny eyelashes… and you told her “Baby”. You were a wonderful Mother.

In another photo, you brushed the long, flowing hair of another doll... this one slender and tan. She was missing one of her petite, pointy shoes. You would pull her hair back and brush it into a ponytail. The rubber bands would hold the nylon hair tight as you dressed her into new outfits. Your mother watched as you struggled to get her arms through the small holes in the sleeves. She was fancy and beautiful and you would look to her as you fell asleep at night. You were a wonderful Mother.

Time would find you next door at the neighbor’s house… their young daughter still very dependent upon the touch of a caregiver. They left you in the care of her for a short while as they drove away for the evening. You played with her and held her… her trust in you was evident as she held your hand. You changed her clothes and fed her a snack while you sang a sweet song. She looked into your eyes and smiled the smile of trust. You were a wonderful Mother.

You sat in the low light… the hum of your voice was soft… and clear. There could have been crowd around you, but you were in your world… the world of your purpose. The warmth of your skin gave life to your children. Your hearts beat as one through times of sickness and tears… through joys that only a mother can know. You hold them close when they are afraid of the world and when they may only need a touch. You feed them your soul. There have been times of turmoil and fear and yet they still look to your eyes for the security that can come with the calming light of a mother’s eyes.

Through it all… you have been a wonderful Mother

                                                                  

                                                          Shannon R Killman