July 10

For Hannah

The light of a life desperately wanted
Has been put out before we could see
But that beautiful light has been relit
In a heaven where we all hope to be

We look forward to finally meeting you
To watch you learn, grow and play
And to tuck you in and say Goodnight
Knowing we’ll see you the following day

To celebrate your milestones
And chuckle at the cute things you do
Being proud of all your beauty
And the marvel that is you

But until then our dear Hannah
You will live inside our hearts
Although your earthly visit was brief
You will always play your unique part

As our daughter, grand daughter, sister, niece and cousin
A bond that will forever live
The idea of who you were going to be
Your memory will eternally give

We will never completely understand
Why you couldn’t stay
There must have been a phenomenal reason
For you to be taken away

I like to think that somewhere
In the mysterious heavens above
They were in need of immaculate angels
Who were to be born into genuine love

To become part of the family
That you were going to receive
Who would welcome, adore and treasure you
That’s what I choose to believe

“My patience, resolutions and beliefs are tested to the limits – sometimes daily.”^*

Right at this moment one of my challenges is the constant, tuneless whistling from my elder son. When my boys were babies it was getting them to sleep or trying to figure out why they were crying. On any given day now, it might be squabbling, fighting, teasing, screaming, shouting or rudeness. Who’d be a parent? We might well question ourselves after the event, but we can’t very well put them back! Just how we find those inner resources, how we constantly demand more of ourselves, how we keep marching up that hill with a smile on our face and gladness in our heart at the sight of our ‘babies’ is one of life’s mysteries.

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