The Grandparent Gaze

 “The Grandparent Gaze”

I held your parent once like this,
Tiny fingers, newborn kiss—
Now here I sit, with silver strands,
Cradling you in wrinkled hands.

A circle drawn in love and time,
Your little laugh, a nursery rhyme.
The years, they fly—so swift, so bold,
Yet here you are, and I feel old…

But not in weariness or pain,
More like a soft, refreshing rain.
A reverence I never knew,
Until I looked and saw you.

Surreal, this second tender chance,
To watch another soul’s first dance.
To guide, not lead; to love, not mold—
To hold your joy, and not control.

I watch your wonder meet the sky,
And blink back tears I can’t deny.
For in your smile, I see the grace
Of every storm I had to face.

And now I stand on sacred ground,
With quiet awe that knows no bound—
So humbled by this grand design,
That you’re a part of me, yet fully divine.

A gift I never dared expect,
A love so deep, so pure, direct.
You made me new, though I am gray…
In you, I’ve found my yesterday.