*I'VE POSTED THIS BEFORE. AS I'VE SAT HERE ALREADY CRYING THIS MORNING REMEMBERING ALL THE HEARTACHE THIS DATE BROUGHT LAST YEAR, I WANTED TO SHARE THIS POEM AGAIN. IF YOU ARE DEALING WITH GRIEF, I HOPE IT ENCOURAGES YOU. REMEMBER, THIS ISN'T THE FINAL WORD, CHRIST IS. HE WAS AND IS. AND NO MATTER WHAT ANYBODY MAY SAY TO YOU, HE UNDERSTANDS YOUR PAIN, YOUR GRIEF, YOUR HEARTACHE, YOUR LONELINESS, YOUR FRUSTRATIONS, YOUR FEARS. HE IS WITH YOU. THOUGH AT TIMES WE FEEL HE IS NOT, HE IS.



"DECEMBER"

THERE’S SO MUCH YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND,
MY CHILD, BUT PLEASE REMEMBER.
I WAS THERE WITH YOU AND HER EACH MOMENT
THAT YOU ALL WENT THROUGH IN DECEMBER.

I WAS THERE IN JANUARY, FEBRUARY TOO,
AS YOU REMEMBERED HER BEAUTIFUL LIFE.
IN MARCH AND APRIL, I WAS THERE STILL AS
THE PAIN FELT LIKE A KNIFE.

IN MAY AND JUNE AS THE MONTHS TURNED
HOTTER, MY COMFORT HAS STILL BEEN THERE.
AND I KNOW, MY CHILD, AT MOMENTS YOU’VE
FELT YOU CAN’T FIND ME ANYWHERE.

AS THE YEAR HAS PASSED, AND YOU’VE
CRIED AND MOURNED, I’VE NOT LEFT YOU ALONE.
I’VE BEEN THERE THROUGH IT ALL, MY DAUGHTER
YOU CAN BE SURE I’VE NEVER GONE.

FROM JULY TO AUGUST WHEN THE WARM DAYS
DREW CLOSER TO A LONGER, COLDER NIGHT…
I HOPE YOU HAVE REMEMBERED MY LOVE
HAS ALWAYS BEEN A SHINING LIGHT.

WHEN SEPTEMBER ENDS LEADING TO OCTOBER
THE FALLING LEAVES WILL COVER THE EARTH.
I HOPE YOU REMEMBER TO GIVE THANKS TO ME,
THROUGH ALL THE HEARTACHE, ALL THE HURT.

GIVE THANKS THROUGH YOUR SORROW, YOUR
QUESTIONS AND DOUBT…DON’T WORRY I CAN HANDLE IT ALL.
AND REMEMBER I’M STILL THERE, I’LL NEVER LEAVE
EVEN ALL THROUGH THE CHANGES OF FALL.

WHEN NOVEMBER PASSES, BRINGING DECEMBER AGAIN,
REMINDING YOU OF HER SWEET HEART,
THROUGH YOUR PAIN AND YOUR TEARS, FRUSTRATION
AND FEARS, REMEMBER I’VE BEEN HERE SINCE THE START.

THOUGH I CAN’T GIVE YOU REASONS OF WHY
I CHOOSE THE PLANS THAT HAPPEN AROUND YOU,
REMEMBER THOUGH LIFE’S HARD AT TIMES, I’LL NEVER
LEAVE, AND I WILL ALWAYS BE THERE WITH YOU, TOO.

YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT HER NOW,
AS YOU KNOW, SHE DOESN’T HAVE TO BE
IN THAT WORLD YOU’RE IN FULL OF WORRIES
AND FEARS….SHE’S SO MUCH BETTER NOW, SHE’S FREE.

THOUGH YOU MAY GET ANGRY AT MOMENTS, THAT’S
FINE…I CAN HANDLE ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU FEEL…
JUST COME TO ME EVERYTIME YOU’RE HURTING,
DON’T PRETEND WITH ME, BE REAL.

AS LIFE CONTINUES ON DOWN THE ROAD,
YOU CAN COUNT ON THE CHANGES I’LL BRING.
JUST COME TO ME, REMEMBER I’M HERE,
ONE DAY SOON WITH ME YOU’LL SING.

JESSICA SCHAFER September 25, 2008