My Greatest Listening Moment

I did not know it at the time But I held the Balance of Power over Life and Death. On a cold and unforgiving winter night A good ten or so years ago. Refuse to listen to even the most agitated pleas' from my daughter Beseeching us to drive her on a school night to see her her best friend forever, And the grim reaper would seize his chance and the day, To cut short yet another young life that very night, Not even caring to wait til morning. Yet if I chose to listen to my daughter and her heartfelt pleas' That seemed to come from her very soul, There would be time enough yet for life to be rekindled And restored to it's healthy young glow for many years to come. Maybe it was my Fatherly concern for my daughter who was so emphatic That it had to be that night, Or maybe it was her undying faith and a heart holding Only love of the most pure kind, That led to god bestowing his grace on all who were present that night. With trust in her need and her promise to tell us one day why it had to be That night of all nights, I took myself out of my warm comfy chair out into the cold night air. She duly rang to be picked up and was soon back home in a Better state of repair. With a safe distance between all of us and that night With my Wife and I sworn to secrecy, The desperate efforts our 12 year old daughter took to save a friend Were finally revealed. She must have given my daughter a clue that it was to be that night, It was to be a painless passing with pills by the bedside And over before her Mum came home. My memory tells me a note was also there in readiness. Silence followed while we took it all in. When we did speak it was to praise her for her life saving skills But expressing our concern that there might be another attempt. She won't - said our daughter. How can you be so sure my wife asked. Her reply just blew us away containing wisdom beyond even our years. " I told her she could never end up in heaven where I was going to be, so she would never see me again" were her very words. We let those words linger for many months but kept their secret til this day. Our daughter's best friend forever still holds her second chance in tight embrace.