The Journey Inward

I cry and you come,
I reach out and you touch,
I hurt and you soothe,
I hunger and you nourish,
I thirst and you quench,
I frighten and you calm,
I coo and you respond,
I frustrate and you give me words,
I approach danger and you rescue,
I'm curious and you show me,
I tire and you rock me.

I am vulnerable, soft, delicate and lack knowledge of the world,
You teach me trust, love, reliability, predictability, comfort, regulation.
Because of you, I learn to do these things for myself.
As I grow older, you step back,
Allowing this transfer of power, choice, ownership, agency,
So that I might be healthy, joyful, enough,
And pass your gift on.

Photo:  Vizcaya Museum, Miami.  10.5.24 by LA