Saturday, December 17, 2016

You Should Have Been Here

You Should Have Been Here
October 2016


Our oldest son said “Yes”
To a beautiful bride on Saturday morning
Within the walls of the Lord’s House.
A perfect day by all accounts,
But you should have been here.


It was a lovely fall day filled with
Forced smiles and flooded eyes
When your baby girl watched the bride
Dance with her daddy,
And wished for only one thing:
That you could have been here.


The pictures of our family’s
New dynamic were too much
For our missionary to cherish
Some two thousand miles away.
His anguish yet another reminder
That you should have been here.


Your brother fought back tears
As he stood in photos,
Greeted guests, and offered
Advice to the bride and groom,
Attempting to fill the void we all feel
Because you should have been here.


Even as I contemplate
The beauty of that day,
I sense the patronizing platitudes
Regarding your watchful presence
And ever-attentive eye
As I acknowledge your spirit’s whisper
In my heart.
But still, you should have been here.


Just as you should be here in days ahead
To hear the cheers of happy homecomings,
The playing of Pomp and Circumstance,
The opening shot of the hunt,
The first cries of future grandchildren,
And the laughter of holidays
Spent within the walls of a home
We built for the sake of our kids
Who long for your loving embrace--
All of whom are left wishing for one thing:
That you could be here.

Momma Reb

Today There is Proof
March 4, 2015
 
Today there is proof
...that goodbyes are never easy but always inevitable.
...that “Family comes first. And if it doesn’t, it should.”
...that the veil is so thin, embraces from beyond
are no longer figurative but literal.
 
Today there is proof
...that money doesn’t buy happiness; it buys security.
But the security found in family relationships
far outweighs any monetary increase discovered in death.


Today there is proof
...that her devotion to family
was equally proportionate to
the number of photos on display in her home.
(With the exception of the seemingly requisite Christmas tree photo,
"you can never take too many pictures").


Today there is proof
...that grief is exhausting,
...tears build pressure and relieve anguish simultaneously,
And tender mercies mark the path of mourning;  
even those who fumble for the right words,
somehow offer peace.


Today there is proof
...that people are multi-dimensional:
those who are known for being tough
usually have an equal measure of tenderness.
...that only the good die young,
and the dynamic leave a hole more noticeable
than the weak and frail.
...that unselfishness is a way of life that many
mistake for misery.
...that thoughtfulness trumps
syrupy sweetness any day.


Today there is proof
...that our loving mother was welcomed Home.
...that after a life of giving, the bearer now rests.