you said something
on the phone
one of those long
calls where i do more
listening than
talking

you said something
very
very
important
and i'm writing it
down in a poem
so that i never
ever
forget it.

you told me
often strong women
don't say everything
they should

which i appreciate
hearing from you
because every single
one of your words

is carefully
instinctively
measured
by something
greater than your
own judgement

and then you said
something that
i doubt i'll ever
forget.

you said
that we must

separate

the offense
from the person.

(to deal with
a hurt and not
the human that
caused it.)

you said
that sometimes we can't

forgive

by ourselves without
His help.

and when i hung up
i knew for the first
time ever that
everything
was in His hands and
i did not need to
worry

every move being made
in faith that there is
a plan
greater than my
mistakes.

i can
separate
my thoughts
into pieces
and add pinches
of peace.

*(it's amazing what a
long talk with
mrs. b can do for
a person's faith
and nerves
knowing that her
nerves are made of
steel and a higher power.)