I will reach for your hand
When you need strength to continue.

I will hold you in a tight embrace
When your world feels at an end.

I will look into your eyes
When you feel like you are invisible.

I will wipe away your tears
When you have been crying on my shoulder.

I will lend an ear
When you need somebody to listen.

I will give a voice
When you can’t hear your own.

I will let you go
When your time for change arrives.

Do not think these acts are selfless,
I gain more than you could ever know.

Each hand I touch
Is a hand on my heart.

Each hug I give
Is a blanket in the cold.

Each eye I see
Is a portal to a new land.

Each tear I move
Is a reminder of where I’ve been.

Each story I hear
Is a chance to learn and grow.

Each phrase I speak
Is an opportunity for poetry.

Each person gone
Is a hand, a blanket, a portal, a reminder, a chance, an opportunity.

So no, I won’t ask for anything in return.
All I ask is for you to be happy.
All I ask is for you to find your place.