Thank You

I wanted to write
something special
for your anniversary
something of my very own
something from my heart
something to tell you
how much I love you
but the more I thought
of what I wanted to say
the more it felt like
I needed to say thank you
thank you for all the things
you've done for me
now, where do I begin
at the beginning.....

thank you
for finding each other
and falling in love
for without that
there would be no me

thank you
for the gift of life
for my name, an unusual one
for an unusual child
for all your love and support
financial and emotional
I'm sure my early years
were not easy ones

thank you
if I've never said it before
for doing what you felt was right
about my medical condition
for not listening to those doctors
I have gone farther than
they ever said that I would

thank you
for all our summer vacations
for all the trips to Canada
for showing us as much of
the world as you could afford
looking back now, we were far
wealthier than I thought at the time

thank you
for my childhood
for all the precious memories
that gave me the passions of my life
my love of travel
my love of national parks
my love of any place wild
my love of camping
my love of writing
my love of photography
the desire to capture
the beauty of what I see and feel
on paper and on film

thank you
for your love
because of you
I know what love is
I am able to give love
and receive it as well
and last but not least

thank you
for being my parents
I love you Mom and Dad

HAPPY 42nd ANNIVERSARY

8.23.97