I must remember to tell you, Mila
When you are older and searching
To understand the world
Or maybe just yourself.
Of those shared morning moments
When you and I
Snuggled safe in sleeper and sweatsuit
sat together and pondered life
A quarantined queen
and an wizened old king.
You, sleeping soundly in my arms
Sometimes squealing,
sometimes stretching,
Sucking voraciously on your soother
For seconds that
seemed like minutes
Then
lapsing into a sound and rhythmic sleep
(Like we hoped your parents were),
You journeyed with this old soul.
While you slept, I pondered deeply
the mystery of life
while life’s meanings lay revealed
by the cherub in my arms.
You took me on a journey
Beyond the bounds of time and space
to Memories
to Moments
to Movements of spirit
And in that timeless instant
you became each one of my babies.
You became each of my grand babies.
Together you and I flew
through decades of life
that you can scarcely imagine
as ancient history they will become,
all too soon,
for you.
Safe in my arms,
we visited the world!
We saw sights,
savoured sounds
Touched the earth together
You and I.
You were there as I
re-entered
re-discovered
re-imagined
so many special moments in my life.
And while a tear fell down my cheek
from the sheer joy of the memories –
You lay still ,
silently bearing witness to miracles.
Your Baba, saying her prayers,
waited her turn to be graced
with your presence in her arms.
Hearing your squeal
She glanced over and,
with her eyes, signalled
that she too was holding you in her arms
as she prayed ..
Prayed for you
And your mom and dad
And your aunts and uncles
And all of your cousins,
born and unborn
and yet to be.
I must remember to tell you Mila
When you are older and searching
To understand the world
Or maybe just yourself.
How priceless a gift you gave me
In our shared morning moments.