When my heart ceases to beat,
So that I have not lived in vain,
While my whole's no longer here,
I pray some pieces will remain.
In the smile of my daughter,
When she sees a rustic swing,
And the humor of my only son,
And the hope that it can bring.
In laughter of shared memories,
Of all those who really knew,
Just what I truly believed in,
And just what faith can do.
In all the lessons, even hard-learned,
The reward of giving, and of love,
The peace of daffodils I so admire,
The healing power from above.
In tears that are cried , shameless,
With a courage to endure it all,
In the books which I so cherished,
In old photos on the wall.
In the honor of a priceless ring,
And a renewing field of green,
The fruits of a long ago planted tree,
That yields the sweetest tangerine.
In the promise things can always change,
And the possibility to start again,
In every new dawn that now is counted,
As a new story that may begin.
In the hearts, minds, and souls of those,
With the beauty of passion delayed,
The taming of needless restlessness,
And forgiveness of those who betrayed.
In an old and tattered bible,
That was neglected for too long,
That always held the only way,
To make right of any wrong.
In every dream held with iron grip,
And each October's healing wind,
Knowing that things don't have to break,
But that they must, and always,.... bend.
Oh, yes! I hope to leave behind,
Some truth's, that life, to me, has shown,
For those I never had the chance to meet,
And to those I've called my own.