I have tasted
the sweetness of life,
a baby’s cry
a child’s hug
a teen’s concerns,
a family’s rush to gather in more
of the goodness
that surrounds,
due to the presence of our Lord.
And I have also seen sadness
that threatens delight
in our souls –
the tearing of love from a mother’s
heart, when drugs and other
evils threaten her home
and I weep.
And I pray –
do not allow such troubles, Lord
to come upon our family’s shore.