From the beginning she has found good in spite of misfortune.
She was just four when she was building a snow-fort with her baby brother.
One mishap followed the next until she had to have her mouth stitched up.
No problem: what fun to sip her favorite foods through a straw.
She has lost much, but in losing finds a path.
She soaks up earth’s colors,
Soft greens, olive, pine, muted hues
Warm browns, imperceptible blues.
Earth’s beauty comes to her quietly, nourishes her in silence and sound, sight and scent.
Drawing strength in retreat, she ventures out,
Enjoys solitude yet surrounds herself with family, friends, even noisy crowds,
Seeks out those close to her, yet ventures into distant worlds,
always seeking more to see and feel and learn.
She watches strangers from sidelines, enjoys spectacle, takes it all in,
Until the music draws her out and she loses herself in the freedom of the dance.
She saves it all, in scrapbooks, pictures of memory and beauty, people and places,
gifts from her rich life to ours.
