piece of me

by. rsj

"i love you, honey"

"i love you too mama!"

"but mama, what is love?"

"well my dear,

before you were even born, 

i anticipated your arrival with joy

i wasn't sure how you'd look, how you'd behave,

whether we'd get along all the time, 

but i knew, no matter what, you'd be mine

i promised in my heart to do everything in my power 

to provide everything you need - 

for you to be able to hope, have a future, and dream

as you were being formed, 

i vowed to protect you from darkness, 

comfort you through trials, 

assure you of your worth, 

and guide you through fire

i imagined warning you of the things of this world, 

nurturing you to discern and be wise, 

watching you succeed and fall, 

and being there through it all

waiting for you at the end of the day 

with a wide, unconditional embrace

i carried you and nourished you, 

envisioning helping you to be the best you

there is nothing i wouldn’t give to you

all this, 

before i even held you,

and saw you,

and called you by name

my love for you darling, 

transcends reason

and does not know change

you are a piece of me,

forever inseparable from my heart"

---

dedicated to valentina henriquez

“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” Matthew 7:11