The leaves have been raked

They fell abundantly this year,


When you were young you would run around


and jump in the piles as we raked.



The lawn furniture has been cleaned,


and carefully stowed away,


Your favorite lawn chair cushion has been stored.


Your favorite blanket lies with you

.

The bird feeders have been cleaned
.

The thistle seed is out.


No squirrels yet!


Without you, however, they will likely be much more brave.



The almost last of the vegetables have been picked


The vegetable plot and your favorite sweet peas


still need to be covered
.

We put you next to the sweet peas,

they were always your favorite.



With all this activity


We both still find ourselves turning to look


expecting to see you lying basking on the grass in the sun
.

Lifting your head,

and then laying it back down before napping again.




 

 

If you could have anything,

what would you ask for?

If the whole word was a possibility,

would you want that sweet moist long kiss from a gorgeous blond,

on a moonlit tropical beach, as you both take you clothes off to dive into that ocean.

 

If you could have anything,

what would you ask for?

Maybe you would want the latest and greatest turn your wrist into an electronic miracle

that lets you surf the web faster than anyone you know,

that would make the whole world a possibility, for you?

 

If you could have anything,

What would you ask for?

What if you live in Syria and the combatants carpet bombed your house while your parents were home?

What if the ocean rose and stole your child and village away?

What if the militants exploded an IED that stole the love of your life from you?

What if the plane carrying your family was shot by a warring party?

What if the rains caused a mud slide and you live in a rural village so that the mud is even now covering your body and about to cover your mouth?

What if you had no food and your infant son could not suckle from your breast and looked at you that one last time before closing his eyes?

if you could have anything,
would you ask for one more minute,
to hold onto them,
before your world changed forever?

 

If you could have anything?

Would you give some of it away?

Because if you are reading this on one of your multiple computers or mobile devices,

to most of the world,

You already do have everything.

 

In my twenties, searching through a dusty attic,
I found an old coat.
It was a stylish long coat.
With that, and a beret, I made my way,
through many a wild night.
I was still wearing that coat the fall I met my wife.

When I asked,
I was told it was my uncle’s coat.
Long discarded years ago,
as he formed a family,
and moved from being a young man to a husband and father.

My uncle seemed to always have a smile.
He was so full of wit and wisdom and life.
We thought of him as the great Adventurer,
our own living version of Davy Crocket.

My brothers and sisters recall many stories of my uncle.
What I recall is how he made my mother, his sister, smile;
how he obviously still loved and cherished his wife;
how he loved his children, my cousins.
What I recall is how he showed that love,
often with affection and that smile.
My sisters recall his dog.

When it was my turn to move from boyhood to husband and father,
that coat ended up in my attic.
Like my uncle my life turned to more serious things.
Time and days passing,
as my own children grew and then spread their wings.

The fall is ending and the winter snows are not that far away.
My Aunt and I talked.
My uncle has enjoyed his last fall.
Somewhere now.
my uncle is on his next journey,
I’m sure he’s smiling.
I’m sure he has a story to tell.
I’m sure he’s carrying a fishing pole.
I’m sure he’s pausing, looking for his Mary Jo.
I’m sure he’s whistling for that dog.

Now that winter is around the corner,
Maybe its time to take down that coat from the attic.
Brush it off, and remember.