An Ode to the Mountains

by Sam DeCosmo

AN ODE TO THE MOUNTAINS

Tucked between the ridges

where fog rises like a prayer,

lies a tiny mountain town

where my grandfather grew.

The houses are small and simple,

but their porches sing with stories.

And though I’ve never lived among them,

the hills somehow feel like home.

My grandfather’s laughter is softly stitched

into the rocks and riverbanks,

his boyhood breath part of the wind,

memories threaded through the trees.

As a child, I visited year after year,

not knowing that this land

would become the place to heal my heart

when adulthood overwhelms.

I feel closest to my Maker

when I come to this sacred place.

The peace I sense among the pines

slows time and stills my soul.

Though daily I live in a different place,

my heart keeps a second home—

The mountains are where I hear His voice,

and I come to find my own.

SAM DECOSMO

Sam DeCosmo is a writer, wife, and old soul who believes in the power of sharing our stories. She's found purpose and healing through the words she writes to encourage others living with chronic and mental illness. Her writing has been featured in Grit & Virtue, The Mighty, The Way Back to Ourselves blog and Substack, and other publications.

In addition to her Substack, Beautiful Anyway, she shares her heart on Instagram @sam.decosmo and her blog, apurposeinpain.com, where she aims to help others find joy amid life's challenges. When she's not reading or writing, you can find her exploring nature with her rescue dogs.