Reverence

 Reverence

I cuddle my granddaughter
by the shores 
of a North Woods lake
as gentle breezes blow.
She snuggles and sighs,
slips into sleep
after a busy morning 
of family and play and…
a bite from a hornet.
How deeply she cries,
how lovingly she is held,
how much she needs this rest.
Her soft breath
and full relaxation
stir my soul 
in a most delightful way.
I lay her down 
and a word slips 
into my mind -
reverence.
A free-flowing aspect
of my mothering, my teaching,
 my grandmothering.
Slowly,
the way the sun might rise
through layers of haze, 
I feel a glow 
of appreciation 

spread throughout my being.
It seems so simple, 
but, oh, how complex
to arrive here, 
deeply in me,
the same reverence
so freely given,
now tenderly nurtures
within.

Sarah Carlson
August 17, 2025