All day I watch the horrors of modern life come screaming in on four wheels with lights flashing
    “Code Blue, ER, Room 6!”
    “Code Blue, ER, Room 6!”
I drive home exhausted
Spacing out to familiar tunes as the wind blows my hair away from my face
Letting the emotional baggage of the work day slip out the window into the night air
    But still
That tenseness in the shoulders remains.

Then I walk in the door
And two pairs of eyes
    Both the same shade of rusty brown
And two smiles
One toothless
The other filled with perfect shining white teeth
    Both glowing with love
Greet me.

This is who I do it for.

I kiss one chubby little cheek
    I kiss one set of waiting lips
And my shoulders relax.