The Sands of Time

Life changes as

The sands of time

Shift for us all;

But comfort remains a constant,

As it takes on new forms

With each passing season.

We carry it with us

Like a doting hitchhiker,

Traveling in the hip pocket

Of our souls.

It’s sunlight;

Dappled and dreamy,

Gleaming and glistening,

As it dances upon

The swaying leaves

past my bedroom window.

It’s found in a steaming cup of Rooibos tea

In my late grandmother’s favorite mug;

The one with

A small chip on the rim and

Cute little townhouses

Imprinted on the side.

It’s soaking in the tub after a long day;

The blended scent of jasmine, vanilla

Ylang ylang and sandalwood,

Heady and exotic,

Perfuming the air like a

Sensual spice market

From some far off land;

Beeswax candles burning,

Flickering flames giving warmth and glow,

Their reflections

A light show upon the water.

It’s between the pages of a favorite book;

While wrapped in a blanket

Still warm from the dryer;

Getting reacquainted with characters

That feel as familiar as

Old friends.

It’s in the sound of music made

By my 91 year old grandfathers hands upon the keys

And his smiling eyes

Staring back at me through the

Mirror in front of his piano.

It’s in the un-rushed hug from my teenage son;

My head resting on his chest,

Astounded by his height

And remembering a time

When he was so small.

It’s in the bouts of laughing fits I have with my daughter;

Cheeks hurting - tears streaming;

The ~laughing-so-hard-it’s-hard-to-speak~

Type of laughter.

It’s found in a bowl of homemade chicken soup;

Made with 8-hour bone broth

And seasoned with herbs

From my mother’s garden.

It’s felt driving down country roads

After the leaves have changed colors;

And in that first bite

Of a hand-picked apple in Fall.

It’s in the blended aroma of

Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves;

Fresh baked pumpkin pie,

And hot chocolate

Sipped by the window

Watching a winter storm.

I can feel it in the peaceful energy

Of my Dad’s barn;

Watching him work,

The smell of freshly cut cedar

Hanging in the air.

I see it when my mom sits at her craft table;

Painting on canvas

Or on one of the many rocks she’s collected

On her walks.

It’s there during heavy rainfall

As water drops play in symphony on my roof;

While I sit by the fire,

The heat - a warm embrace on my skin.

It’s the sight of my parents Christmas tree;

Aglow with vintage-colored lights,

Brightly-colored bulbs and

Ornaments since 1986.

It’s forged in the bond I have with my brother,

Our inside jokes and laughter,

And the love we have for one another.

You can hear it when the needle drops onto a record

And the sound of vinyl fills the room;

The nostalgic buzz of my old Zenith television set

With late night episodes of The X-Files airing -

As rabbit ears catch the radio waves.

It’s my bunnies running to greet me

at the sound of my voice

with twitching tails and eager eyes

impatiently waiting for a treat.

It’s Thai food from my favorite restaurant;

Chicken satay dipped in peanut sauce,

Green curry with sticky rice

And pineapple-sauce-drenched Crab Rangoon.

It’s in the throaty purr of my cat

While she’s curled up on my chest;

The healing rhythmic vibrations

Emanating deep into my soul.

It’s found in bookstores, old and new;

In the scent of pages and print

While perusing shelves and searching for

That next great story.

It’s in my sweat and sore muscles

After biking in the woods;

That ~breathing-hard, blood-rushing-euphoria~

You can only get after pushing your body to the limit.

It’s heard in Robert Stack’s captivating voice

As he narrates Unsolved Mysteries;

The sounds of the haunting theme music

Foreboding, yet fondly familiar.

It’s felt in that “new sock feeling”

The ~cozy-cotton-comfort~ like

a little hug for my feet.

It’s witnessing a planted seed sprout;

A tiny miracle emerging from the soil-

reaching for the sun as roots dig deep.

And it’s in family get-togethers;

Funny uncles, caring aunts, crazy cousins -

Good music, great food, and laughter.

Time will change -

Of that I am certain;

But these comforts will travel with me,

Through the changing of the seasons,

Through The Shifting Sands of Time.