Week 207: Collecting

There is a woman
who never forgets anything
what people said,
what day of the week,
and what was on tv
from every day of her life
since she was a child.

Her memories make me thankful
for the grace of forgetfulness

like how many times
I raise my voice
or sigh in exasperation
or feel discouraged.

Our ability to forget,
especially for mothers,
is what keeps us sane
and helps us heal from
the guilt of every mistake
the imperfections of parenting
playing unceasingly in our mind
like an intolerable YouTube video.

We want to look back
at the difficult years
and remember the joys
not the sorrows
the sweetness
not the bitter.

But I wonder

If I could take memories
from this week
and store them on a shelf
in my mind
like teacups, or spoons,
or salt and pepper shakers

What would I choose?

The walk to the park,
the lunch with friends,
the afternoon sitting on the floor
with the girls
who made fish faces on the window.

 

The dash of light across Julianne's hair
The silly smiles from Sydney

I'd collect the sound of her voice when she says,
What a beautiful day it is!
Or the screech of delight when the littlest she
figures out the answer to,
How old are you?

The shelf would hold the feeling
of little hands, and big,
of precious kisses on baby soft skin,
and late night loving ones before bedtime.
Next to these
the feeling of curly hair wrapped around my finger
and the intangible sense of comfort.

All this I would keep,
hide,
horde away
in memory's closet.

My wish

May I be a woman
who collects
cups of sweet memories,
bowls of grace,
and
plates of joy

not the woman
who stores the sorrows
in a box
under my bed with ugly shoes
and unforgiving mistakes.

The woman who never forgets
helped me remember

the beauty of memories

both kept
and lost.

(c) Creature Bug 2008. All rights reserved.

Comments

[Katy]

Beautifully put. There are so often times I find I don't, or can't, find words to express my journey. You seem to find them for me. Once again....beautiful.

[Jeri]

what a lovely post and a very happy mother's day to you!!

[Rachel]

How beautiful! Happy Mother's Day!

[Alida]

That was beautiful! Happy Mother's Day. You are awesome!

[Kari]

I had no idea you wrote poetry too...why do the coolest girls always have to move away? :) Beautiful words.

Happy Mother's Day.

[Inkling]

That was purely lovely! Thank you.