Our Long Goodbyes

So long to countless long stem red roses, blue irises, star gazer lilies, lavender orchids and yellow tulips, and cleaning up petals days after they’re given… Goodbye to months that added up to years at a time away in foreign countries at war, with moist eyes -worried for one another… Our last sunset we saw together, do you remember it? No, I’m afraid I don’t either…. so sad we didn't give that missed moment a fitting send off, one last goodbye kiss… You can keep every “I love you”, “I miss you”, “Love Always,”, “Love Forever,” “I’m thinking of you” and “I’m so sorry…” I meant every one of them… We moved too quickly and freely through many of the good times, figuring a period would come at some point where we’d pause to enjoy the sweet scent of a rose or two... I hate to say goodbye to those nights –oooh, we know each other so well… And turn my back on those pet names we had for one another, I believe they’re call “terms of endearment”, I won’t say, those are ours to be lost forever… How I will miss the laughs, the looks we shared, the way your head fit in my chest when I held you… The walks we took, the songs we listened to, the plans we made, those didn’t quite fit in the box I packed, I guess its farewell to being there for each other in old age –“…my bride of 53 years” …well, not quite… Can we still give advice to youngsters on relationship longevity? I suppose we could, I guess there are still lessons to be taught from a point of failure, but you know….. I still…. You know I’ll always…. What will I do…. Maybe we don’t….. No, no time for that now, this brief moment we use to smell those roses; for quite soon our goodbye will be over Written in Afghanistan -1 AUG 2013