FROM THE SHADOWS

FROM THE SHADOWS

I took my granddaughter, Ava, to watch the sunset

where the ocean meets the land

And I remember being mesmerized by our shadows on the sand.

At first our shadows walked beside us…two shadows blending into one

but they separated and walked behind us as we turned our faces to the sun.

And as we watched the sun drift slowly down and a cool breeze chilled our skin

I had to smile at our shadows snow standing tall and thin.

When the sun was finally tucked in marking the end of another day

I turned around and noticed how our shadows had faded away.

And it got me thinking about shadows..of how the dark and light interchange

of how tentative is our existence and how quickly life can change

And I wondered where do shadows go?

Do they too need their sleep at night 

if they are going to have the energy to join us at first light. 

And how a shadow is like a good friend who will walk with us…

yet we’re aware

even the times we cannot see them we know that they are there.

And I thought how grandparents are kind of like a shadow

with each granddaughter and grandson

and how we will always be behind them

when they turn their faces to the sun.

How we will always walk beside them

with our support, our love and care

and even when they cannot see us they will know that we are there.

And that they should never worry

if they happen to be mired in the night…

for whenever they need our shadow…

we will gladly bring the light.