Next To Me

Coming home was hard,
and yet anticipated at the same time.
We had so much fun, never argued,
never lost our tempers.
Laughed a lot, ate a lot,
walked a lot, dreamed even more.

When we drove in, spring had arrived.
Everything was in bloom.
The trees had tiny new leaves.
And the flowers had come up.
Even in our own yard--we weren't
the ones who planted them
And they came up anyway.
Everything looked new
and fresh and welcoming.

I was excited to be home.
The house was clean,
the rooms looked huge, 
and I felt relieved.
I don't know why.
It just felt so good to be home.

Going over our pictures now,
I can see why we had so much fun.
The cities, towns, and villages that
we visited now hold memories for us.
Some are old, some are new.
I love them both — old and new.

I love that you are here next to me.
When I look into your eyes
I see what you must see in mine.
I love walking hand in hand.
When I walk next to you, I feel safe.
I feel loved, I feel protected.

Thank you--
for taking me with you
for these memories
for our home
for loving me
for being next to me.