The Matron

For longer than time can remember she has always known the way to
lead us to that

which gives us life.

We have always followed her unquestioningly. Her wisdom and her
love guided not

only her children, but her children's children like a trickle of
water in the desert.

We never thought of the future without her because she has always
been there for us, but

soon she must hand over her mantle.

It is a heavy robe, that she has carried with such seeming ease
through all the years of

plenty and those of lean. It has never caused her hardship as she
would reach out to the

wayward child and welcome them home.

Even those, not of her kin she would welcome in, not as outsiders
but as one of her

children. It was the way of our clan, as handed down from matron
to matron.

I am young in this clan, but I have not been immune to the change
in the winds.

I have seen as her children have begun to lift the edges of her
mantle upon their

shoulders, but it seems so big, so heavy, so ill-fitting to anyone
but our matron.

Yet this change must happen for the herd to continue to move in
this world.

We must rise above our fears and proudly take her mantle, all her
teachings and the

example she has shown us and move forward.

Our Matron has shown us the path we must follow that which will
provide our family with

nourishment and growth.

Like the great pachyderm Matrons of the Sahara guiding her herd to
places of food and

precious water must pass on her secrets to her sisters and
daughters so has our

Matron. She has passed on her love and her wisdom to us.

My only wish is that Mamaw can enjoy her golden years free of her
mantle so she can

relax and be glad about the knowledge that we have learned what
she has set before us.

That as her children, and her children's children we will find our
way to life's giving

water....