Waiting to Exhale

Well, my next post was going to be on the topic of what I've learned about Love during my Lenten journey, but I'm still working on that one--a lot to sum up after nearly 40 days of reflection and musings on this topic!

In the meantime, here's a poem I'd like to share. This poem is full of many stories. Some of the stories are mine, some of them belong to others. Some of the stories are from the past, some are in the present, and some are still in the future. I'm fascinated by the power of words to transcend so much time and space.

WAITING TO EXHALE

The words of my heart are primed
I open my mouth to speak
But before I can complete a sentence
In an instant you have vanished
So quickly
Your very shadow yet remains
The only evidence now
That you were ever standing here

I crouch down
And touch my fingertips
To your darkened outline on the ground
Lingering signs of your presence
Now speak only of your absence

I consider for a moment
The prospect
Of standing here for all eternity
In the hopes that one day
You'll return
To hear the rest of my sentence
Words that are now displaced
Because they were meant only
For you

But though hope tugs solidly
At my heartstrings
Life has taught me an important lesson
To which my will must now bend:
I mustn't hold my breath
Or I'll forever be waiting to exhale

~Kristy
03/12/2011