Good Morning Maezie

The stillness of the morning is broken

by the soft toddling thunder of tiny feet.

Her sea green eyes peer gently down at me,

the golden morning sun just appearing on the horizon.

She climbs in next to me,

all limbs and extra branches.

The full weight of her relaxes upon me,

a reflection of the weight of the day's laundry list

- the one that keeps piling up -

I can hear it taunting me,

plotting more ways to steal away time.

"don't you need more milk"

"the floors need scrubbing"

"you should check the mail, you didn't yesterday"

I sigh, looking for answers in the ceiling.

It stares blankly back at me.

She nuzzles in tighter,

her hands gripping my shirt like a life line,

stilling my thoughts with the simple need of just being.

I breathe in deeply the very scent of her golden hair.

It smells of lavender

and the wild whimsy of her age - sweet, but fierce.

She coos a hushed

"Mama... I dove you"

her L's not quite as grown-up as her words.

I melt into my very marrow

becoming the runny yolk of a sunny-side up egg.

A single spark of joy streaks down my cheek

like a shooting star beckoning forth a wish.

But I have all that I could wish for in this moment.

And for all of the brokenness of the world

and the heaviness of the day that lies in wait,

I find myself,

and my life,

complete.