Lines

drawn on a door frame

might be your family’s

way to mark the

growth of children.

Once they

are grown

and have children

of their own,

grandparents

might start

standing next to

each grandchild,

perhaps

stand in front of a mirror

and observe each

child and how close

their height

is to you.

I reached my adult height in eighth grade.

Tallest girl

in my class.

At dancing class

the few tall boys

chose the shorter girls,

leaving the tall girls

like me,

trying to not

feel so tall,

scrunching down.

Youngest granddaughter

now a sixth grader,

is barely a hair

shorter than me.

The eighth grader is taller

than me,

a growth spurt recently.

Eighteen this week

my oldest  granddaughter now makes me

feel short.

It is an incentive

to stand tall.

Grandson, the oldest,

towers over his

father, uncle and

grandfather,

all tall themselves.

However tall

each stands,

every one

is growing inside

into their beautiful

thoughtful selves.

Standing tall,

we all

see our worlds

from different vantage points.

Together we smile

and laugh

and cherish our connections.

Many ways

to measure

but no marks on the wall.