Time and space, and love in days

For Marialyse & Brad

How many small things does it take?

How many moments do memories make?

How many road trips?

Wrong turns?

States?

Photographs and mixtapes,

At the bottom of a box held together by scotch tape

Which you forgot to discard

Long ago

But kept for reasons unknown?

How many walks in the park

On rainy days?

How many love songs belted, alone in your car?

How many amusement rides?

Roller coasters–emotional, or otherwise?

How many sleeps or sleepless nights?

How many cups of tea, or “just grabbing a bite?”

How many bowls of mac and cheese, on movie nights–

Staying out too late, trying to fill a never-ending appetite

For something more–something profound, something pure?

How many dreams did you awake to,

Missing what felt like an absent part of you?

How many little laughs; deflected smiles; or big hurdles?

How many battles won, silently?

Head held high–

a victor you were crowned; as you looked to the sky.

How many sunsets and sunrises, did you watch unfold

Into shades of purple, as soft clouds roll?

You stare into the unknown,

Trusting in how far you have come,

Supremely happy, with whom you have grown into.

And with the many small things that you have done

Which have bravely brought you here, on your own.

Finally, just longing for someone who will walk along the same road–

Hold your hand,

And run together, home.

How many jumps, or dives; dancing around,

Through fairy tales–as unimaginable and fantastical

as multi-dimensions, higher powers, superpowers, ascension,

tall towers, perfection,

lores, and other worlds–

a small child’s dreamt or wished protection

of simple, kind, affection:

Love?

Oh, the many losses and battles you had to win, kid

To get you here.

How many kisses of frogs, self-written songs,

dances in the dark, and self-wisdom you had to in part?

For all the times you ran from love,

You were slowly walking home,

gently guided by larger plans above.

And whether you believe

in chance, fate, a higher power, luck,

Serendipity,

Gods or Goddesses above,

Simply think of

The many small things;

memories you had to make,

Time you had to forsake,

The right turns,

The many many cuts and takes–

How you had to hold yourself together at times with scotch tape–

the forgotten boxes, joyrides, tunnels, hills, and battles–

all of which you have conquered, with skill, with moxy,

with a laugh, and a thrill for life–

a reverence for everything that is precious, and sacred.

With all that you have held in your heart since you were a bitty kid.

Gratitude for every motion–exact:

that which has led you to what is right, what is true.

So when I ask you,

“What did it take?”

To get you here,

To this moment, shared,

surrounded by all that you hold dear:

Realize that it has always been you.

Recognizing the soul of another

As a best friend, a partner, a fellow dancer, a lover.

A traveler, a kind stranger, a kid.

A piece of yourself– you will forever find

Throughout time. Immortalized

by every dream, fairytale, or fantasy,

made reality–

What you have built, created, found,

Cherished within one another,

Is so strong, beautiful, and profound

That it permeates,

Resonates

Throughout all of time and space

So that no matter, with whom you share

time, or the places where,

many small things have converged

Like sunrises that roll, and roads that

Will always lead home.

One forever recognizing the other,

As you have finally found the other part of your soul–

Simply returned, to be made whole.