I CRIED WHILE YOU SMILED

I held you in my arms today

and cried while I hugged you.

Not because of any broken thing

nor because of anything hurtful.

I cried while you smiled,

nestled in my embrace

surrounded by warmth.

You couldn’t see it

I kept you close so you wouldn’t.

These tears were quiet,

drowned out by my heartbeat.

I held you in my arms today

and cried while I hugged you

because fullness of life came to me.

It whispered to me in a swirl of joy

and pain, healing and heartache.

It reminded me that you are changing,

growing up.

And, that I am changing,

growing old.

And this is the moment and time

that I’ve been gifted

to share with you.

You’re becoming new.

We’re becoming new.

And immediately I felt the loss

grieving the separation

of the young child I held in my arms.

And immediately I felt the joy,

those warm tears of overwhelming gladness.

That our hearts have been woven together.

Our times together will be that.

Smiling, laughing, crying.

Until separation is no more.

Until Love claims the fullness of time

and it becomes Time.

Then our souls will sing the song

with loudest gusto.

The song that our friend wrote.

“God’s got all the time in the world.”

I held you in my arms today

and cried while I hugged you.

Not because of anything broken

or hurtful

but because Love let me see a glimpse

of what is real.

And there you were

in my arms.