Because before & after have been worth it. Because if & then turned out OK. Because now & then weren’t the best or the worst. Because time & again we wake up managing.

Because full enough but finish on empty didn’t happen too often. Because more & less were always sufficient. Because hellish & heaven are actually relative by degrees. Because always & never don’t garner qualifiers. 

Because sometimes was always enough. Because endings were always followed with another beginning. Because forget & remember keep interweaving. Because coming & going are always adventures. Because intermission can become an art form. Because sweetness & sorrow. Because the sweet & the sour, the sleep, & the waking, the quick hug & the long hold, the THROE & the THROW. Because the plain & the passion, the upside down cake & the baked Alaska, the cinnamon roll both with & without icing, each of our questions has come with an answer.

Because closed was always followed by open. Because both new growth & decay. Because hammer & anvil. Because steel & mettle. Because hard pack was followed with inches of powder snow. Because of the hills and the smooth terrain. Because storm & rainbow. Because forge & forego, fortitude with forget. Because of flight & dive. Because we shared directions for landing patterns. Because we were given a future with fledglings we managed to keep going. Because we were never in a maze for long. Because of Love 101 & graduate courses. Because of milk, chocolate & bitter. Because of baking & savoring. Because of BREAKS, BRAKES, and breaking bread. 

Because drowning & baptism. Because the ring on the finger & the ringing of the bell. Because the sun illuminates each varied cut & color of glass sutured together. Because facet & diamond. Because gold thread & plain cotton. Because the raw edges of youth & flat felled seams of the birthday bathrobe I made for you. Because of zippers & buttons & hooks & eyes. Because of fasting & fastening. Because of fascination despite frustration. Because we didn’t drink stream water but always dipped our toes in it. Because you dove into the mountain lake while I sat on the rock. Because I toweled you off with my body. Because we rushed & we slowed. Because we were impulsive but carried the ten essentials. Because each today is a gift. Because joy & sorrow. Because sacrament & gratitude. Because search followed by rescue. Because dreams & dreamers. Because pivot & jostle. Because boots & mittens Because tuxedos & grubbies. Because ice & fire. Because of switchbacks for the climb & a mossy log for a rest, we still have each other.

Love,

ME (2-14-25)