GENERATIONS ALIGNED

As I watched our daughter watch her son graduate from college yesterday…

as our three generations aligned

I wondered if she was thinking what I once did…

If my same thoughts crossed her mind.

Was she wondering where the time went?

Was she wondering how fast our children grow?

Was she wondering if she taught him everything

in life he’ll need know?

Does he know not to be afraid to laugh or cry

to hope or dream or sing?

Did she teach him to be curious and relish little things?

Did she teach him to believe in himself

To stop…look around…take walks?

Has she taught him how to color outside the lines

and think outside the box?

Did she teach him to be kind and gentle

honest and loving too?

Does he know if you treat people in this way

it’s the way they will treat you?

Does he know not to be afraid to try new things,

new adventures, new experiences…forge new trails?

That everybody makes mistakes…and everybody fails?

Does he know the difference between knowledge and wisdom?

To do what he loves and never to be smug?

Did she teach him many troubles in life

can be fixed with a nap…or a hug?

Is she sitting back at this moment…

thinking of all those winters…all those springs

And wondering where his life will take him

now that he’s grown wings?

It’s funny how quickly these questions are answered

the moment a family embraces

when generations align…

together

and there are smiles upon their faces.

MISTY RAIN

On our walk the morning as we made the turn 

down a tree filled lane

we were greeted in the silence by a tender…misty rain.

We could feel a slight coolness brush agains our face…

and yet

so delicate were her droplets that we did not get wet.

So light…so mild was that touch of rain 

we barely could perceive her

so gentle even the most fragile flowers 

had to lift their petals to receive her.

I looked up to try and glimpse the mist 

floating against the backdrop of the dawn

but as quickly as she started…that misty rain was gone

And once again I had to smile 

as I thanked the rain for the simplicity of her greeting

reminding me to enjoy both life and beauty…

for both of them are fleeting.

MONSTERS BENEATH HIS BED

“Daddy!” the young boy screamed one night, 

his voice was filled with dread

When his dad arrived his son cried out,

“There’s a monster beneath my bed!”

His father touched his son’s cheek and smiled, 

“Let me have a look.” he said 

Then clutching his son’s hand 

he peered beneath his bed.

“Be careful Daddy! Be careful.” was all his son could say.

“I think we scared him off.” Dad said, “Looks like he’s run away.”

‘“You see monsters are good as scaring but it’s courage that they lack.

I have just the thing you need to insure that monster won’t come back.”

It guarantees there will never again be a monster beneath your bed.

Then he put something in his son’s hands…”It’s a dreamcatcher.” He said

This will only let your good dreams in…it filters out the bad.

It will scare off any future monsters…no matter how big or ugly…or mad.

And from that day forward throughout the years

the dreamcatcher worked just like his dad said

and never again did he awaken to find 

any monsters beneath his bed.

And many a morning we would awake and wonder…

since he only had good dreams…never bad.

if the magic was in his dreamcatcher…

or the magic was in his dad.

A LONG LINE OF DREAMALISTS

My mom loved to mix her imagination with reality

which meant her stories had a few twists 

I called her world Dreamality…making her a dreamalist.

I remember one night when I was young 

We were sitting outside…just her…and me

“Close your eyes.” She said, “and when you open them 

your star will be the first one that you see."

“That star was created when you were born…

when you became my son

It was placed up in the heavens to announce 

a new life has begun.”

“See how it is beating…it matches the beating of your heart…

Those stars beating brightest are the new ones

while those whose beats are fading are preparing to depart.

“Your star remains aglow until the day you die.” She said.

“for our stars are nothing if not precise

at which point it will swoop down and carry your soul to paradise?”

I imagine Mom was wise enough to understand the science of light diffusion

how the brightness and the beating of the stars is just an optical illusion…

I imagine she understood how meteoroids 

are just burning bits of dust and rock…quite small 

And, scientifically speaking, are not shooting stars at all.

But that did not deter her from believing her story in totality

(now you begin to understand my mom’s world of Dreamality).

Mom’s star burned out years ago and, yes, I consider it quite nice

to think it swooped down from above and carried her soul to paradise.

Many nights I still greet my star…

it’s something I can’t resist.

I regard it as a gift...given to me long ago, 

by my Mom, the dreamalist.

BABYSITTING GRANDPA

I remember how I loved babysitting our grandchildren 

how neatly they fit into my arms.

I remember being impressed with their intelligence and captivated by their charms.

How they would spend the night with us…how we’d make sure that they were fed

how we’d play some games, watch a movie then send them off to bed.

How in the morning we’d make pancakes…in any size or shape requested

and smile as our handiwork was so easily digested.

But grandchildren grow up…a fact no grandparent can ignore

and there comes a time when grandchildren don’t need babysitting any more.

So the other night when Deborah had some friends over I thought it would be sweet

to make a date by taking Ali and two of our grandchildren out to eat.

I saw this as a way to spend some time with them

but Ava had a different point of view

She said, “Remember when you use to babysit us, PopPop?

Now we’re babysitting you!”

And I had to laugh but it made me wonder when she repeated it again

What’s the difference between them now babysitting me

and when I was babysitting them?

The main difference of course is we’re all older and they no longer fit into my arms

but I am still impressed with their intelligence and captivated by their charms.

Their world has expanded outward…their life is more complex

our conversations are more adult now..though sometimes their mom objects.

Despite the fact we’re older we still visit with the same joy and laughter and vigor…

although now when we play UNO…the cards seem so much bigger! 

They no longer spend the night…and after dinner when I was sure they had been fed 

since they now stay up much later than me…I drove home and headed off to bed.

Hoping our grandchildren remember when we babysat…

hoping those days are etched deep in each one’s memory.

hoping they remember the last time I babysat them with as much joy

as I’ll remember the first time they babysat me.

WE USE TO WALK

We use to walk together…in the mountains…by the sea

before the sun would rise each day…my golden retriever…and me

We chose to name him Whitman…people assumed we loved poetry

and though we do love a good rhyme…he was named after a bakery.

He was soft and warm and beautiful inside…to us he was a dream

Is it any wonder we chose to name him after a donut filled with cream?

When we would take our walks in the early morning breeze

I would look up at the stars in the sky while Whitman sniffed grass and trees.

My view from atop my two legs was different than what he saw on four

and I never could determine which one of us enjoyed it more.

It’s been many years now since those walks we had to abort

because as any pet owner knows a dogs life is too short

Still today as I began my walk in the cool, crisp morning air

I know this is not possible but I saw Whitman standing there.

He was young…the way he once was…without a leash and free

and before I knew it I could feel him…walking next to me.

I’m not sure I ever enjoyed a walk more than in today’s early morning breeze

I noticed how the moon was full while Whitman sniffed grass and trees.

When we got home I wanted to thank him as we walked across our lawn

but when I looked down to tell him…I was alone…Whitman was gone.

I was left with a smile and a memory and the lesson he taught me today….

How those we love, even when they’re gone, are never far away

SHE GREW UP

Her parents use to read her Fairy Tales

she remember their voices…

their joy…

their laughter

which is why, she imagines, she grew up

believing in happily ever after.

She believes in bears that talk…

in trees that dance…

in wizards who can fly...

She believes a kiss can turn a frog into a prince

She believes in castles in the sky…

She believes in dragons who breathe fire…

She believes some mice may be blind

She believes witches can be beautiful 

and ogres can be kind

And today, now that she is old 

every night when she closes her eyes in bed

she still believe in magic lamps…

in beanstalks

and houses made of gingerbread.

And when she opens her eyes every morning

she smiles wondering how her parents knew…

how happily ever after her life would turn out

how Fairy Tales do come true.