it takes years . . .

It takes years

and raising children

and late nights

and early mornings

and heartache

and mending heartache

to afford a person the opportunity to

step back,

look around,

gather what you know

(and what you’ll never know)

and find some sort of peace

with

what is

while still experiencing the pain of what the world takes from you

– the giant losses –

heart break.  loneliness.  broken promises.  divorce.  betrayal.   the death of people you love.  disease.

– the lesser losses –

sadness.  bitterness.  disappointment.  unmet expectation.  pain.

and yet

not missing the gifts the world still retains for you

– the giant joys –

healthy children.  love.  hope.  laughter.  second chances.  redemption.  mountains.  friendship.

– the lesser joys –

caramel.  smiles.  a good novel.  an autumn day.  dinner outside.  sunshine.

I think

perspective

is a gift for the living

who are fortunate enough to have

breathed in and out and

survived up and down and

endured the giant losses and the lesser losses

and have embraced the giant joys and the lesser joys and who

somehow

have managed to hold them all

– the losses and the joys –

with open hands.