There are those moments
in life that hold sweet anticipation
of the next day ahead…
when we proclaim our
newly found love
for the first time
or say “I do”
to the person we hope
will be with us through
the end of time
or when we
imagine what’s inside
the wrapped gift
under the tree or
nestled in a birthday bag
or when we look forward
to a sweet reunion and
to a hug from a friend
who has been far from our
home but always still
close to our heart…
Then there are those moments
that hold the dread that
comes with the unknown
in the days ahead…
when we face in court
those who hope
to see us broken enough
to never know what healing is
or when we fear the diagnosis
that we feel in our bones
will not be the news
we prayed for
in our darkest hours
or when we take the
chemo and the long hours of
side effects and the uncertainty
of a cure or face the surgery
or know that with the rising sun
we must say goodbye to
a love we are not ready to lose…
And life moves between
these moments
as we weave
together memories
and dry tears
and calm fears
and peek at gifts
while others are asleep
and write love notes
and plan the songs
that help us to celebrate
our joy or to find a way
to say goodbye
and we face both
hopes and fears
and are carried
through these times
by faith, by love
by wonder, by laughter
by tears, by hugs
and by the ones
who journey with us
as we face the
nights before…
--Chris Pepple ©2020