I have my ways and don’t we all?
Little ways of doing things, tiny habits,
a certain way of managing a plate of food,
holding a cup, wrapping a scarf. Etc.
My mother silently counted the steps
she took, the number of stairs up and down.
I do this too and as it turns out, several of my
siblings and now one of the great nieces.
An unseen unknown habit passed on through generations.
Or is this as simple as the fact that roughly half of
humans cross their thumbs left over right and
half right over left and therefore unremarkable?
I’d prefer to believe this small tic of my mother’s
is a tiny part of her quietly accompanying me
slyly slipping along step by step putting a bit of
order into the chaotic world she’s left behind.
