Motherhood is one of the true joys of my life.

I cannot think of any thing I love more than watching my almost two-year-old daughter explore and discover the world around her, from the wooded paths we frequent to the cabinets I wish she would stay out of at home. She is growing so quickly, and I feel like time is passing at lightning speed.

Recently, we had a chance to spend a morning on the beach, and I wrote the following poem about the experience of watching her. Moments like this remind me how important it is to slow down appreciate the little things in life.

~

Winter Wishes from the Sea.

We stood at the edge of the sea
Taking in its magnificence,
Admiring the gentle haze
Created where the fog and ocean mist meet,
A perfect path for seagulls to fly.

Your tiny hand is wrapped around two of my fingers
As you stare into the vast distance.
How mighty it must seem
When seen through your big, blue eyes.

The ocean is like ice on this January morning.
The waves are strong, but they greet you with a gentle touch.
They know how delicate you are.
You squeal in delight as the bubbles of the ocean froth
Graze your tiny toes.

It’s a sound I wish I could capture,
And hear over and over again.

Your smile widens
And you wade in deeper.
You easily sway with the current of the knee-deep water.

You are becoming one with the sea.

You splash among the surf,
Chasing sea foam and dampening the sleeves of your sweater
And the hemline of your dress.

You giggle at the bubbles
And pick up handfuls of the seashells
That line the ocean floor,
Inspecting them carefully
Before allowing them to slip
Through the spaces between your fingers.

I watch you from a distance.
Far enough to let you explore the world as your own
But close enough to lend a helping hand
If the ocean’s power is too much for your little body.

I am amazed by you
And the raw childlike wonder that fills your eyes
And guides your movements.

My hope is that you always delight
In the simplest of pleasures,
And the smile I saw on your face
That warm, January day on the Georgia coast
Never fades away.

 

~

Author: Michelle Carpenter

Image: Author’s own

Editor: Yoli Ramazzina