MOTHERS

    I used to view the world, nature and people, only through rose-colored glasses. When my ‘cork popped’ while in group therapy for codependency issues, for a while the world was seen as very stark, dark, with not much rosy at all. Continuing to seek and find some balance brought me to the realization that the world has varying shades of light and dark, in nature and in people and, in myself.  My mother was a role model for my recognition that there is a choice involved in our views of the world.   I’ve chosen now, for quite some time, to wear my rose-colored glasses. I take them off when I need to see all shades clearly and make choices that are nourishing. This poem was written for my mom in 1993, shortly after donning again my rose-colored glasses.

                               How precious is our Mother Earth,
                       for she graciously shares with us her bounty.
       She portrays the breadth of her love in the myriad shapes and colors 
                                 of the sky, the clouds, the rainbows.
              She shows us, through her storms that there is a time to let go
                                         of pregnant, built up energy…
     And through her rain..that tears must come forth to release the energy
               and, thus, offer cleansing and nourishment to the soul within.

  Earth enfolds us in the fragrance of her myriad trees, plants and flowers…

      To remind us of the variety of ways that sweetness can come to us.
              And that the sweetness is always there for us to experience
                                      Or pass by if we so choose.

 How glorious is her sun! Though sometimes unseen above the clouds,

      the sun shines forth to vitalize our spirits, illuminate our hearts.
                      Our Mother Earth keeps watch over us at night
         For her moon offers a soft glow, quiet comfort while we sleep…
                  her stars twinkle at us as we close our eyes to rest,
        a reminder to us that we, too, can keep a twinkle in our own eyes.

              Mother Earth uses her wind to sweep over and around us,

    often with a gentle flow yet sometimes a powerful, energizing embrace…
    perhaps a nudge for us to go with the flow of our own lives and natures.
                      
                          How precious you are, Mother Earth!  
          How grateful I am to experience and partake of all that you offer.

                        How precious you are to me, dear Mother!

                               You give so freely of your bounty.
     You provide me with the warmth of your love, the vitality of your spirit,
     the sweet kindness in your heart and a twinkle ever present in your eyes.

                                 There is so often a smile on your face  

                        Offering a wordless greeting of joy to all you meet.
     The quiet faith in your soul shows me that no matter what is happening,
                  the God of one’s understanding is always present to enfold us
                                                gently in loving arms.

                              How precious you are, dear Mother,

                            And how grateful I am to Mother Earth
                          For in my experiencing of our Mother Earth,
          I am ever reminded of how blessed I feel to have you as my mother.

 In loving memory of my mom, Eva Cox.