A small carving, in honor of my mother

A small carving finished, in honor of my mother.

It is the first small attempt after her memorial. I didn't begin with a plan — I simply needed my hands to be doing something while my heart was full, so I let them carve.

Little by little the piece took shape under my fingers, quiet and unhurried, the way she taught me to pay attention to the small things. Working it felt like sitting with her again: slow, patient, and full of love.

It's a small piece, but it carries a great deal. The first of many, I think — each one a way of keeping her close, and of saying thank you for the hands that shaped mine.