The other night I was looking through old emails my Aunt Kathy sent me. I came across this one written on July 20th of last year:

Heather, It was great to see you this past weekend, and I’m happy things are progressing so well with Binky.

I had originally wanted to give you this poem for your birthday, but it wasn’t ready.  Today seems like an appropriate time since as you said in your blog, you’ll never be better or over Maddie; I know there will always be a hole in our hearts and our family.

Love, K

So Brief

A golden haired sprite–
she
struggled
mightily
to take her place
upon the
stage.
Her arrival–
marked by
great applause and
unbounded love
from all
who saw her
smile as bright as
a thousand suns
and heard
the sweet
Christmas bell
trill of her laughter.
Now–
the stage is
dark. . .
she is
gone.
Each morning—
after sleep has
washed away the
painful memories of
loss,
I reach for her
finding only
the empty spaces
she once filled,
and when the
awful
silence
closes tightly around me–
I cry.
Sometimes–
I think I see her in
the glistening beams of light
dancing merrily
atop silvery ocean waves
or hear her
giggling softly
in the rustling leaves of trees
Her time upon the stage–
so brief
Our loss
so great.

It means even more to me now.