“Mom, listen to this,” my little brown-eyed boy confessed both excitedly and nervously, “I wrote a poem.”   I laid down on his bed, resting my head against the pillow-y soft life-sized crocodile that is his sleeping companion.

“It’s kind of sad,” he warned me, “but happy, too.”  He searched my face for approval to begin.  He wanted and needed my full attention.  Enraptured, I gave it to him.

ALIVE
by Kamden Melton

“If you could only see me one last time.

If you could only hear my rhythm and rhyme.

If you could only let me hear laughter and chime.

Then you would know…I am alive.

I am alive through your memories of me.

I am alive, leave me be.

I am alive through your laughter and through joy.

So keep me alive – no tears, no sorrow.

Keep me alive because there IS a tomorrow.

No, sadness shan’t prevail for

Yesterday is history

Tomorrow is unknown

But today is a gift

And that’s why it’s called

The Present.”

He came to a soft, slow close, paused, then finally looked at me for a response.  I told him how lovely, how heartfelt and moving the poem truly was.  How brilliant he is.  I encouraged him to put it to music, for it seemed to lend itself to a song.

In reflection, one thing stands out about how Alberta lived her life.  She did not live in the past, nor did she dwell in it.  She chose to live in the present moment. To love in the present moment.  For life is not about the love we did not receive in the past, or the pain of the past and our attempt to heal from it, life is about the love we give to others, today.

“It takes great courage and personal strength to hold on to our center during times of great hurt.  It takes wisdom to understand that our reactiveness only fans the flames of false drama.  Love creates a mystical shield around us, protecting us from chaos.  When we are in the midst of loss…or crisis of any kind, there is power in the words, ‘Be still and know that I am.’   There is no loss except in time…and time does not exist.”  – A Return to Love, Marianne Williamson

Only love is real.  And Alberta, your love will live on today and every day.  Dance in peace.

Enjoy the time
That you are nine
Do not grow up too fast
For once it’s gone
It seems too long
Since we remembered it last.

Some days I want to jump the fence.

Like I did when I was a kid.

Without thought of what is on the other side, or what I am leaving behind.

But alas, my shoes are always “wrong.”

Or my clothes.

I don’t want to ruin them.  So I stay.  Where I am.

And watch.  Damn shoes.

Lying in a sea of red
I reflect upon my life with dread
The selfish actions by those most dear
Brought to life my greatest fear -
That in this life we stand alone
Feeling failure in every bone.
Trying to come from a place of love
Releasing all else to the flying dove
Was met with nothing short of hate
And now it’s over, it’s much too late.