It was a brisk Sunday afternoon.
You called me that day
You sounded frightened
I answered the phone with your average
"Hello?"
Even though I knew something was wrong.

You paused a moment,
So I thought you didn't hear me.
"Sarah?"
(You always start that way when you're serious)

"Yes?"
"Mydadjustpassedaway"
All in one breath, and then you broke down into tears
As if all of the pressure building up inside your lungs
Was released with one single puncture.

Your voice shook and quivered
And I knew you were crying.
You were never one to get emotional
So I started crying with you.

I was breathless, speechless
I began agonizing too.
And you could tell
Because you begged me to stop weeping.
I got angry with myself

You must have been going through unimaginable heartache
And you were the one pleading with me to stop crying?
You were the one who had just lost your dear father
And you were telling me we would get through this?
This is all backwards.

After this, we went through a series of
"I know" "It's okay" and "I love you"
However, only one of those even rang true at the time.
I didn't know anything, including what to say
And it was not okay, at least not yet
But I did love you, and do
And that was all I wanted you to know.

I had worried, for many days
Since he had become sick, I was scared for you
Since he has passed, I still am scared for you
But you give me no reason to be
As you are handling all of this so graciously.

How is this so?
You must be weighed down by this tragedy
And you make it look like
The world isn't that heavy at all.