The Sounds of Time

The quiet times we treasure.
They bring peace. They bring joy.
They bring moments of tranquility
     spotted in between the busy life.
The sounds of laughter, yelling, clanging,
 banging, screaming, pounding, slamming..
     these are the sounds of a family life.
A busy concoction of semi-controlled chaos
     that rings through the walls and up the stairs,
fills our days and keeps us awake during the
     dark night.
These hazy moments that are all too precious
 and slowly slip away as the shoes get bigger
     to match your own.
The days get quieter. The yelling less.
The laughter dims. The noises stop.
The pitter patter becomes a normal step.
And in that normalcy something is lost to quiet.
A pause. A reflection. A time or two...and then?
And then the moments grow sweeter,
     the conversations begin.
And in replaced between the quiet
     becomes a song to sing.
A friendship emerges gently.
The support of a wise young soul.
The appreciation of one to wonder,
     to share, to grow old.
With commardarie, hope, and love,
     the sounds they emerge again.
To fill the house, home, and hearth,
     with a new life to live and learn.
Support unencumbered, welcomed.
Your precious ones, no matter the age,
     or the decibel, still, next to you smiles.
Holds your hand and remembers,
 the times, the days, the moments,
           from your little one with love.

-Jeannine Proulx