I sit upon a bench
My feet touch upon holy ground
A nearby tree filters the rays from the noon-day sun
A mourning dove coos to her mate
The scent of lilacs from a flowering bush
Speaks of May processions and Mary alters in childhood past
I seek God’s serenity.
For my heart aches in the turmoil of loss.
The hill in front of me
Is dotted with grave stones
Lives once lived
Now buried within this sacred earth
This is a place that holds within its solitude – stories
A name engraved
A date of birth – a date of death
The stories live between those two moments in time
I come to grieve quietly
Another death has entered my life
A woman who became like a mother to me
Has now left this world for her eternal reward.
The chaos of the past days became
Stories shared
Tears flowed
Moments cherished
Love embraced.
As tears trickle down my cheeks
My memories become delightful stories
God’s serenity fills my heart and my soul.
The pain of loss fades away.
By Susan Handle Terbay