One

I've recently been getting into writing poetry again, and so wrote this with two very important people in mind. One of them is no longer with us on earth, but his memory remains in my heart. The other is someone who has been an incredible friend and inspiration this last year, and give thanks to God for both of them. 

One

There are a lot of people in the world that you’ll come to know

Mostly through the age of the internet and cyberspace

But nothing beats the beauty of meeting for the first time

In a classroom, on the street, or in middle of the cafeteria line

You might not think anything of them at first

Or you’re so taken that you don’t know what to say

Either or, there’s something that’s intriguing

Perhaps even captivating

You keep them in your mind

Not knowing that they've already left a footprint on your heart

Time passes as you go from strangers to friends

Little moments jumping out like bold colors on a blackboard

You only talk in passing, or perhaps every couple of days

They might make you laugh or blush with their bold sense of humor

Or they motivate you to clean up your act

Their personalities are admirable

Simply because they never fail to be themselves

But then there’s that one moment

Where you connect as human beings

Identifying on the same level

Recognizing that everyone has struggles

And needs a little help every once in a while

When he got you back safely after a night downtown

And the others were scattered about in different directions

Laughing hysterically after too much whiskey, rum, and cold pizza

Serenading you to country music the following morning

Never even bothering to think

That this would be the last time you would see him alive

He listened without flinching

As you recounted your painful history and battles with depression

None of it fazes him

As he dodges traffic between a busy road to stop the bus

So that you don’t have to walk back on that cold winter night

Reminding you to hug him a little tighter

Even when you've had a little too much liquor

As it happens, it might not be a particularly huge deal

When a person demonstrates love, kindness, and compassion

But life is finite and goes quickly

And what gets taken for granted

Is what I tend to remember the most 

photo credit: bernat... via photopin cc