Gift from Oren

From the mountains to the seas
Across the miles of memories
Through the endless dark
Say you'll walk the distance to my heart
Past the walls of fear and pride
To a place where love can't hide
Searching for a spark
Say you'll walk the distance to my heart

For well over a hand now Mother had kept me busy with cleaning out one of the small store wagons. More like two hands trying to see to it a little each day when I returned from the fires of the clan or those of the first wagons. I could have sworn it was not all that long ago she had me putting things in there. In fact it wasn't but I would not argue that now she had changed her mind and wanted everything ... out. Not just out but have it scrubbed all nice and neat. I had begun to worry if perhaps she felt we needed more supplies or something and was going to trade it.

Finally I was fnished and sat back with the scrub brush in hand to study the little wagon. That was when I felt Mother's hand rest on my shoulder and I leaned my cheek there. "I thought you might need a place to put your jars and herbs and all of those threads you hve scattered around your wagon." It took a moment or two for that to sink in and I turned where I could look up and make sure I heard her right. It was for me? She was saying this was ... mine? My own little store for all of my things of clan? I felt that big ole lump start up in my throat and wanted to jump up and hug her tight, to dance around and make her dance with me. It was all a bit too much and I reached up to wrap my arms around her hip.

I don't know how long I just held her or how long her hand stroked in my hair. I needed this ... not the wagon but this moment with her. I had closed my eyes to savor it all when I felt the back of another hand just soothe over the other side of my cheek. Grandmother was standing on the other side of us and just that one touch connected us all together. I found my feet to stand between them while we did something so simple and to some it may have been silly to look at the little wagon together.

Three generations sharing a glimpse at the future together. It was Grandmother that broke the silence. She said quietly that it was alright to move my wagons forward. I was so happy. I began rattling off all of the things we would need to start moving so all of the wagons were ready and how I would see to it. They could both rest this time ... it wasn't that far you know ... just up closer to the main fires ...

There was a new thickness that I found hard to swallow around when Grandmother told me that it would only be my two wagons this time. But I could go with her blessing, she had only one request to make of me. I wanted to tell her I wouldn't go without her, not without Mother but there was that look that seemed a little too frail to argue with. I am a sucker for her you know. I could only promise that whatever it was she wanted or needed I would see her request .. just ask .. anything .. anything at all.

"Say you will remember the way back."

There on the tip of my tongue was this fervent vow that I would everyday, several times a day but in those old wonderful eyes, I knew she was telling me something the verr spoke to her. I looked down the lanes toward those first fires and it seemed a such a long long way away.

"I will Grandmother."

"I will."