Mirrors of My Soul

My oldest granddaughter is almost eighteen;
In many cultures she'd already be married.
Thankfully, she lives in a country that allows
Her freedom to become her full self.

She has always had a head for numbers,
And she plans to become an engineer.
How wonderful that she is not yet limited
By the constant needs of her own family.

I don't know how today's families do it,
Juggling their careers and relationships.
I know that the couples have made changes
In terms of strict lines of gender roles.

Many is the husband who cooks the meals,
And the wife that earns the larger paycheck.
The work of the partners needs to be done;
It matters not who has the talent for each task.

Where my granddaughter will go from here,
And what path she will ultimately take,
My prayer for her is that she finds a partner
Who is equal in strength to her original home.

I hope she also finds kindness and laughter,
The kind of laughter that opens the soul.
And, if she should decide to become a mother,
That her children will be blessings to the world.

For she has been such a blessing to me,
As was her wonderful mother before her.
How little would I have accomplished in life
Without these young women to mirror my soul!