The sun shines down today upon a small New England church,
On the most celebrated feast day of the year.
Inside a woman sits lost in thought,
As memories of times past parade through her consciousness.
She sees herself a small girl.
Dressed all in white, short dark hair tightly twined into curls,
A lace veil proudly worn upon her head.
Shiny white leather shoes adorn her feet as her small steps carry her forward.
A somewhat older girl now walks that same path.
This day she proclaims a religious life choice,
Of which her understanding is limited by her tender age.
As the first walk the second is expected and dutifully carried out.
Time marches onward the girl is now a young woman.
This time she will not walk this isle alone.
Again dressed in white not so very different from the first small steps taken,
Her father announces her arrival with song.
This time bigger steps taken on the arm of her mother.
Steps that will take her far away from all that she holds dear.
She speaks words of promise that she feels from the bottom of her heart.
Words she is sure will never fail her.
The next visit to this scared place she would carry a small one.
A prayer answered a gift to treasure.
Blessing this young soul in the loving company of family and friends.
Tragedy would bring her here once again.
It is painful to visit this memory,
Yet its sights and sounds are forever burned upon her mind.
A deeply loved family member struck down in young life.
This time the woman must walk down the isle by the flower draped resting place,
Where her sister lays eternally sleeping.
She visits again on a bittersweet occasion.
She accompanies her daughter down this isle.
Young and in love she listens to her speak similar words of promise.
She wonders what the future will hold for this young couple.
Happy for them now as they pronounce their love to all,
Embarking on an unknown future.
Now in this the present time, more than four decades have past,
The woman feels much older than her form may tell.
A tear falls as her memories remind her that she is weary for she has traveled far.
Though her life continues to play itself out different than she had planned,
And the promises she made she could not keep,
She realizes that she is happy with the woman she has become,
And seems to be at home with herself and the choices she has made.
Time will continue on,
Happiness and pain will call her again to this very place.
For now in this very small moment in time,
She finds herself sitting next to her father both heaven and earth.
|
|
|
| Continue Reading | |
|
|
moondreamerpublishing.com © 2915
