The Scent of Gardenia
My Great Aunt was a beautiful person. Born and raised in the early 1900's. Came from one of the founding families of Edmonds Washington. She was married and divorced. I guess she was just too strong of a woman for that man to handle.
During her life she loved to travel, play bridge and golf. When my sister and I came along, she loved to spoil us. We would spend weekends at her place and go on adventures. I fondly remember her gardenia plants and their sweet scent permeating her place. Anytime she would move the gardenias were always there.
The staircase of life, or life's journey is an interesting one. Two days after her passing I was struggling with the loss. I think her spirit came to visit me. I was in bed and got chills, then there was that all familiar scent of gardenia. It was from here I knew I would be ok.
The staircase of life or life's journey can be an interesting journey. To this day the scent of gardenia brings back some wonderful memories.
When we venture on the staircase of life, remember the little things. A scent, a song, memories are more valuable than materialistic things.
Staircase of Lies
My mother’s mother
Clumsily fumbled her way up
Mostly dropping my mother
From her hip
Into her latest boyfriend’s lap
My mother
Held me a little closer
But still dropped me
From time to time
To pick herself up
With whatever high she could get
A little herb or a man
What difference did it make
As she watched him
Walk me down the hall
Her steps didn’t lead very far
An unfair spiral
I would do better
Climb to the top
With my daughter on my back
No one would touch her
And she would be untouchable
No, I didn’t drop her
But on my back
I couldn’t see
That all she saw was down
When I came upon my own reflection
It cracked
From the lies
I had told myself
That I was good when I wasn’t
I tripped over a different step
But I tripped nonetheless