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 when we walk 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.