WHAT MY DAD WOULD HAVE WANTED

The teacher, long retired, ran across a copy of the only poem she ever saved which immediately caused her to reminisce…. For in all her years of teaching she’d never read a poem…as beautiful as this. “Class,” she remembers saying with a smile. “I want you to write a love poem.” She assumed this was easy and every student would understand…. until one student in the middle of class timidly raised her hand. “My dad was killed by a bomb in the war.” she said.“I remember the exact date." “How am I to write about love when I’m filled with so much hate?” The teacher had anticipated many questions…but this one…she never guessed… She walked over, put her arms around her student…and hugged her to her chest. “When hate is all around us”, she said…”when bombs are dropping from above… that is the time we must fight hate…and search for words of love.” “Look into your heart.” she said, ‘words of love are waiting there words of love you will discover…words of love you’ll want to share.” She wasn’t sure what to expect until that night at home when she read this young girl’s assignment entitled… This Is My Love Poem My dad used to talk about love…before he turned off my light… He said love is a wonderful way to start the day…and the only way to say goodnight. So I will try everyday to think in words of love…no matter what my fate hoping the words of love I find…will overcome my hate… I hope someday to discover within my heart the words I’m searching for… hate has won this latest battle…but I won't let it win the war. Perhaps when words of love, instead of bombs, are falling from the sky then love will finally vanquish hate…and no more Dads will have to die. Hate has left me with a scar and my dreams shall forever now be haunted… but I will l do my best to look for love, because… that’s what my dad would have wanted.