GREATEST GIFT

Duyên

on the phone, I said,

- I am coming in December, Bà.

to my 94 years old mother.

so often, our conversation gets lost,

in her weak hearing or bad connection.

this time,

she asks when is December?

I explain

soon. next month, Bà.

happy,  she asks again,

- are you all coming,

you, husband, children,

little great grand children of mine,

con hạt đậu( sweet pea). dễ thuong nhỉ.

are they, all coming?

Bà, I said, it will be just me, this time.

others have work and are in school.

they visited you, not long ago.

con hạt đậu, too... nhớ không, Bà?

her joyful voice has dropped with a little murmur...

plane tickets are so expensive. I know.

she, then, said no more...

my youngest son, sent a text,

hi mommy.

sounds so cheerful, as I see.

then came, the next one,

when will we see you?

soon?

then, text disappeared.

no response to my answer.

young people communicate this way,

now a day,

standard or order are not the norm.

get in their world...

understand.

a drop of a line.

like this one.

just lovely.

a day. a dreary. cold day...

when the wind wouldn't stop... blowing.

storm door was banging in front,

stopped. then banging sound, again...

I looked at the door, told myself,

is someone. really there?

a package has arrived,

quietly between those noises. on that dreary day.

a 2016 Thích Nhất Hạnh Zen calendar

also, a lovely note.

Fy wrote,

"while grocery shopping,

this calendar  reminded us of you.

V says, Thích Nhất Hạnh is one of your favorite authors.

we thought you might like it.

we also thought,

it would be nice for you to receive something in the mail unexpectedly,

instead of you always sending us things."

love you, Fy&V.

a peaceful quote on the cover,

if you love someone,

the greatest gift you can give them is your presence.*

children are coming home..

loved ones will  be here,

their presence at Thanksgiving.

the greatest gift. I see.

in the eyes of my mommy.

* quote, Thích Nhất Hạnh.

duyên.

happy  2015 Thanksgiving.