mum.

mom and i stood side by side
at the counter
piling spinach leaves in our bowls
along with nuts,
clementines,
grated Parmesan cheese,
and other
earthy elements..
she busied herself with boiling 6 eggs
and i chopped
mushrooms and green peppers
and it was
a comfortable ebb and flow.
I thought to myself
we never really did this 
kind of thing while I was home
under her and dad's roof.
it was a lot different then.
Mom was mom,
     a wisdom giver,
a disciplinarian,
  and a household manager.
I usually had myself locked in my room
my face in a book
or pining after the 15 year old boy
who had my eye-
and cooking and salads
weren't something
we both had time for then.
My mom didn't teach me how to cook,
but she sure taught me a lot of other things.
Like not settling
for just any 15 year old boy,
but saving my heart and body for a godly man.
And packing a cooler on
long trips full of fun snacks
and sandwich fixings
to save money
instead of getting fat eating so much fast food
and sitting in the car for hours on end.
She taught me the beginning
of an upright spirit
in the way I saw her interact with my dad,
respectful and honest,
and early every morning I would come down the stairs
and find her in her Bible
without fail.
Mom ran around the block every morning too,
even after she had my baby brother,
so through her,
I learned the importance of health and wellness
and to get dressed every morning,
even if you have
no place to be.
All that said,
it was a rich moment
when I was standing in her kitchen next to her,
a wife and mother myself,
and though I would never consider
myself an equal to her,
I think I did shift into friend.
We both chatted about our marriages,
our kids (she still has my brother at home)
and we laughed
as she cleared the dishes
and poured us some chocolate wine.
(there's no way she would have offered that to me
when I was living at home)
Just stopping for a second here,
reflecting on where the time went,
and where I am now,
visiting my mom
and cherishing the time I do have with her,
rather than once having to ask her permission
to stay out till 11.

it is a rich time indeed.