My forty-second birthday
A day that started off
Much like any other day
Late for work as usual
Upon arriving in my office
I found a couple of presents
Waiting for me, I opened them
Then thanked my friends
I was back at my desk
When another friend came in
Saying happy birthday and
Handing me a bunch of flowers
Freshly cut from her garden
In the arrangement
There were irises and lilies
And one that caught me
Totally off guard
Several stalks of bleeding hearts
They immediately touched
My heart and tears filled my eyes
I hadn't seen bleeding hearts
Since the last time I'd been
In my grandmother's garden at camp
She loved the intricate little flowers
My friend was surprised by my reaction
Then asked, "What's wrong?"
I couldn't say anything at all
And began to sob uncontrollably
She reached out to hug me
And said, "Your grandmother"
All I could do was nod my head
This simple gift from a friend's heart
Cut me to my very core
As I felt my own bleeding heart
5.9.01
My grandmother passed away from cancer earlier this year in January. She had been sick for some time and in and out of the hospital quite frequently, so her death was not unexpected. But this was actually the first time since her passing that I was forced to admit that she was really gone and the first time I felt the depth of that loss. Faced with reality, I could no longer pretend that she was just far away in Canada, and that she'd still be there the next time I came to visit.
Of all the gifts I received that day, the flowers meant the most to me. A simple expression of love allowed me to grieve for my grandmother, who I miss so very much.
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