The Color Of My Life

The Color Of My Life

By Carol Bradley

“What do you do?” she asked while we slathered warm croissants

with fresh preserves in the golden, morning sun.

I told her about the city, my job, my days.

She was an artist, a florist, a traveller;

nothing of real value in the steel, grey world

I couldn’t leave behind.

The sun was behind her lighting up her wild, blonde-grey hair.

She was happy in this tropical place; alive, fulfilled.

That morning in the sun; the vibrant, vivid village all around me

would change the color of my life.

“What do I do?”  What is important?  Who am I?

not the person in rush hour traffic;

nor the one working 10 hour days.

Ask me again; “What do you do?”

I’m filling my garden with lavender blooms,

learning fiery, red Spanish,

making pale, pink tea.

I’m a mother, sister, wife,

a gardener, dog rescuer…a bit of a writer.