"Loved Ones"
His eyes crinkle with warmth when he smiles
I remember the past with sadness
Sadness that I caused so much pain
And sorrow that I didn't do better
There are bridges burned that cannot be recovered
And there are loved ones left behind
In the just-burned rubble of a small ruined village
I will never see them again
And in fact I cannot remember their names
It's all a blur that I mostly regret
A few stand out against this landscape
With love and memory like storybooks
Neatly placed end on end gathering dust
Chad, Elisha, Jason, Kevin, Zhanna, Theodore, Ptolemy...
They do not want to be found
I do not want them to be found
Little Treasures gently and lovingly packed up in boxes
That I call memories
In Jesus' Name,
Amen