I Mark the Years

I first marked hours, and then the days And soon I marked months too The years, they passed on one by one From time when I lost you Today marks 18 years and still I long to see your smile A mother, whether sick or well Makes life seem more worthwhile I marked the years before you died With pain, and tears and fear For as I child I knew back then That death was always near I marked each labored breath you took I marked the times you cried I marked the words you tried to speak I marked the times you sighed I marked the times you tried to sing And how you mourned the loss Of all that MS took away It was to be your cross I marked the day you fell asleep Rememberance is now I write these words for I must make You come to life somehow In dreams at night I see you still And though the times are few It brings a solace to my heart To be in dreams with you I sigh and hold my vigil still But I am not alone For Jesus also marks this day To Him its time was known He marks with love your resting place He marks the day and hour When he will come, the Prince of Peace With resurrection power He’ll raise you with His might voice He’ll call your name: “Arise!” And then I’ll hold you close to me As we meet in the skies And so I mark each passing day The weeks, the months the years Until I see you once again And we cry happy tears. Eileen Manassian March 19, 2018 (My mother passed away on March 19, 2000 from MS. She was a woman of faith, character, and integrity. I grew up having to see her become gradually incapacitated due to the illness. She once looked at me and said, "You're scared I'm going to die, aren't you?" My answer....tears, and we both cried. I can never be the kind of woman she was. She needs to be remembered.)