letting go

my son made these shapes for me today. it’s appropriate, because i see in their shapes a mama paramecium, nosing her baby paramecia out into the wide dangerous world. my son is 15. i want to push him out past his comfort zone, and i want to reach out and gather him in, and let him know that the world is safe because i will always be here to help make it so. off you go, little ones. but not too far.

leaves cut into strips and set in motion