The Gift

I have a gift.
I did not want this gift, it meant suffering and pain
The pain because of love.
A love which had manifest itself in a child.
The child brought her love to me and asked for my love.
Sometimes I did not understand this.
Sometimes I was too busy to listen quietly to this love.
But the love persistent, it was always there.
And one day the child died.
The love remained
This time the love came in other forms.
This time there were memories,
There was sadness and anguish, and unbelieveble pain.
One day a stranger came and stood with me.
The stranger said "I understand" And did.
You see the stranger had also been this way.
We talked and cried together.
The stranger became my friend as no other had.
My friend said, " I am always here." and was.
One day I lifted my head
I noticed another grieving ,gray and drawn with pain

I approached and spoke.
I touched and comforted.
I said "I will walk with you."
And I did.
I also had the gift.

Joe Lawley
TCF Co-Founder