A post for Maui Shop Girl's "Just Another Photo Challenge"
Theme: Peace
Two. Your hands pat a steady rhythm on my back keeping time as you hummed a lullaby.
I watched the curtains softly dance on the breeze till my eyelids unconsciously droop and close.
Peace.
Five. I jolt awake and shudder with a start. Your arms are there steadily pulling me back down.
"It's just a dream," you whisper half awake as I roll over and sigh back into sleep.
Peace.
Eight. You lift me off the couch and tuck me into my bed, smoothing back the wild hair.
You turn on the nightlight and make sure the stuffies are far away so as not to start a fire. Again.
Peace.
Eleven. I tiptoe into your room. I'm scared. I slip into your bed.
You sigh and roll over to make a bit of room and hand me a corner of the covers.
Peace.
Fourteen. It's dawn and you're making sure I'm warm enough. You turn off the flashlight in my hands.
Close the book that is poking my side, untangle the covers and tuck me in again.
Peace.
Seventeen. You take the phone out of my hands and put away the finished book, navigating your
way around legos, journals, books, university letters and applications just to hear us breathing.
Peace.
Seventeen point five. Of different things, but I'm still scared. I tiptoe into your room. I slip into your bed.
You roll over to make a bit of room and hand me a corner of the covers. We talk. I'm better now.
Peace.
Oh, Larissa. This is so beautiful and it just made me cry. What a wonderful thing to have such abiding peace and such close relationships. I pray my wee ones will be like you when they are 17.5. Many hugs to you.
ReplyDeleteYou flatter me, TangledLou. :')
DeleteYour words and image was just beautiful! I just saw my whole life as a mother pass by. My daughter's 2, so we're just at the beginning :) Glad to have found you!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the time Ihilani! I'm glad too. :)
DeleteMy eyes are misty!
ReplyDeleteListening to sleeping children breath is peace to me too.
(:
DeleteVisiting from MauiShopGirl. Love the beautiful haze feel about this photo!
ReplyDeleteThanks Lisa!
DeleteI've said it before and I'll say it again Larissa. You are such a beautiful and talented writer. You brought tears to my eyes and reminded me of how much gratitude and love I feel toward my parents.
ReplyDeletePretty shot, I love the soft feel and I like how your post and prose were not literal matches but conveyed a feeling.
Thank you so much for joining us!
Thank you Tania, for the opportunity and kind words!
DeleteBeautiful Larissa. I hope your mom and dad read your blog :)
ReplyDeleteThey do occasionally catch up on it. :)
DeleteBeautiful words and a great shot. I love the sunlight reflecting off the water.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jennifer. :)
DeleteYou captured these moments so well and in so few words, the emotion is still washing over me. I'm going to check on all my babies now and try to suck in these waning years of things being fairly simple.
ReplyDeleteYou are too kind. Thank you. (:
DeleteThis made me cry. You are a very blessed girl to have such a relationship with your mom.
ReplyDelete(: I agree Jewels. I agree.
DeleteBeautiful! Thanks for the reminder of what these moments were like. I just hope my girls look back with such peace and fondness. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you liked, Sleepy Joe. (:
DeleteThis is the hope I have for my children; the small bits of comfort I can offer will find them and give them peace. I love this post!
ReplyDeleteThank you Michelle.
DeleteVery beautiful poem. It was very fitting with the peaceful theme.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for taking the time to not only visit my blog, but to leave a wonderful comment! I can't wait to see your next photo.
Thank you so much Jenkakio!
DeleteThis is gorgeous Larissa. How lucky you are to have one another!
ReplyDeleteThank you MM.
Delete