Mountain Mama

West Virginia is a beautiful home. She is filled with so many wonderful, kind souls. When I am not in West Virginia, I feel her presence. Like an energy always just behind me, smiling. I fall asleep dreaming of her mountains and remembering the sound of the wind rushing through the trees, dancing around me. When I miss her I sit in silence and try to recall the tranquility and stillness of her forests. Her strong, steadfast arms wrapped around me in my darkest times. I called out to her in pain and begged for release. She calmed me, reassured me, held me together when I could not hold myself. She holds us all even when we leave her. Like a mother she understands when we leave, smiles as we go, she cries but she understands and loves us. Even though people belittle her, curse her children, and pollute her skies she still cuddles us. Hushing our fears yet she is unsure of her own future. She promises the world to us and tells us grand stories of the past and future so we can fall asleep peacefully. After we close our eyes, she sits in fear at night and worries about her land, her animals, her mountains. But even when we forsake her, she smiles. And yes I left her, and yes we cried together, and yes I think of her always. She understands, my sweet mountain mama.