Now We Are Sixteen and Thirteen

It’s sometimes unsettling

to look up or straight ahead,

when I was so used to crouching down.

It’s disorienting

to see a mustache of hair

instead one made of milk.

It’s bewildering

to see my favorite sweaters

skip out the door

on a straight haired version of myself.

I miss the days

when they thought the best thing in the world

was hearing me read to them in funny voices

while they dipped apples into peanut butter.

I miss the days

when all it took was me singing

about a frog’s aspirations or the loneliness of a unicorn

to soothe their hearts.

But

I love the curious young woman

who walks with me every afternoon,

and whose open heart and open mind

makes me smile and inspires me.

I love the earnest young man

who talks with me about video games and politics,

and whose depth of insight and empathy

makes me think and gives me hope.

I’ll look through their baby albums today,

then put them back on the shelf,

looking forward to good conversation at dinner.

I hope they clean up their dishes this time. 

Song Choice: Since the inspiration at Imaginary Gardens at Real Toads was based on Bittersweet Melodies by Feist, I'm going with that.