Serene Lake Within

Serene Lake Within

Along the shores of a placid lake,
next to a lovely little cabin,
the world as she knew it erupted
in both scary sights
 and vicious sounds.
Her tender, 7 year old essence
was deeply impacted in those moments.
She remembers the event,
how she and her brother retreated
as far away as they could.
She doesn’t remember
any words between them,
just the shared energy of
fear, shock, and wonder –
not the good kind.
She remembers being glad he was there,
now wishes he were still here
so they could recover together.
She doesn’t remember
 how the quarrel began,
or any talking to process it after.
She does remember
 skirmishes that led up to it,
and feeling defeated
 in her multiple attempts
at making things right
in the years that followed.
Her adult mind drifts
 to another tranquil lake where
 her life was again altered,
this time by Love.
In the here and now,
she is profoundly grateful for
the tenderness of that Love,
her ongoing insights from
rising above the fray,
and her growing sense of unity
with the Divine. 
She feels an inner stillness,

 her very own serene lake within,
free from the confusing undercurrents
of that long ago battle
and its turbulent aftermath.

Sarah Carlson

December 1, 2018