Revelations

 

Revelations

The Lord has his ways 

of revealing ourselves to us 

through others 

like a looking glass

strangest thing 

a grandmother 

came for her 

first Thanksgiving as a widow 

to visit her children 

she brought her new man 

her children are opposed 

and expressed their concerns 

new man’s too old

 – he’s just looking for a caretaker – 

he already forgets everything 

she’s disgracing the family 

they’re already talking 

of moving in together 

my dad didn’t work this hard 

for this long 

for her to squander the savings 

on new man 

he’d be rolling in his grave

for his children’s sake

new man can’t handle 

all the children running around 

he keeps complaining about them 

being all out of control 

he doesn’t understand 

that’s how little kids are 

it’s a shame – she needs 

to think about 

who’s going to be there 

to care for her when her time comes 

new man sure won’t be 

no 

it’s worse than that –

she needs to think about 

who’s going to be there anytime

when no one wants 

to be around new man 

she doesn’t love new man

she just wants a companion 

and she’s so used 

to being a caregiver 

she thinks that’s her only purpose 

and on and on and on

children overly concerned 

for their mothers situation 

that she is choosing 

they predict pitfalls she doesn’t see 

perhaps the pitfalls won’t be there 

perhaps love means care for the aging

perhaps the nest egg is not destined 

for the children anyway

perhaps the interesting casts of characters 

in their family dramas 

will keep them energetic and alive

like those brain-building puzzles they do

perhaps aging parents 

and their new companions

should be given the blessing 

from their children 

to go for a new life 

under a different roof

and see what 

for better or for worse 

revelations emerge