Kindred Spirits

One day the wind changes

And a new nanny blows in from the north

A young lady who is on her own journey

But your four-year-old self has no concept of any of that

She is a magical lovely being

With bright curly hair

And a big smile

She makes everything fun

Your very own Mary Poppins

She is even English! 

And she becomes a part of your life. Your family. Your world. 

Eventually, the wind changes

As it must and always will

And your very own Mary Poppins

Heads off again for more adventures of her own

Over the years you all keep in touch

Until it grows sporadic 

Life just happens 

You go to school

Parents separate 

You go to high school and university

And travel 

And write 

And everybody goes about their days filled with breakfasts, and lunches, and dinners

And the small things we don’t think about

That mark and pass each day

Until over twenty years have passed 

And you’re a year off from thirty 

And out of the blue

Your very own Mary Poppins writes to you through your website 

And you discover she lives in Chicago! 

You plan to meet up.

You’re nervous. Why?! 

It has been close to twenty-five years since you’ve seen each other! 

And you see her, and she’s still your nanny

She’s still magical and lovely 

Still has the great big smile, though all her curls are gone

And she has children of her own

(The same age you were once upon a time!) 

And even though all this time has passed

Even though all these lives have been lived in the intervening time

It’s just like being with family, with a very close aunt or big sister 

She asks if you could stay in Chicago and become her nanny! 

You wish you could. You really do. 

You never want to leave! 

But the wind has changed

And you’re headed off for adventures of your own

You give her a hug

And promise to return

That night, your heart is so full

You can’t even sleep. 

It’s not memories, or even topics of conversation,

It’s this sense

That you’ve rediscovered who you are

Where you came from

And who was there

Who made you who you are

And that time and space

Can never separate kindred spirits

People who are supposed to be in our lives

And make it better

The end.