Apart

I met you when I was just stepping over the edge of childhood into that scary place called grown-up and you seemed so very grown-up to me then.  Now I know you weren't much more than a child yourself.

The wonder of you filled my thoughts, overflowed the pages of my notebooks, awakened a creativity in me that felt brand new and so unique.

I was such an innocent and you were so eager to teach me, perhaps a little too eager, but who knows?

I remember running into your arms, confident that you would always catch me and when that unthinkable thing happened -- when you had to go off to war, to that land so far away for such a long time; the tears poured from my eyes unbidden and unstoppable.  Living without you seemed impossible, but I grew stronger and more patient.

You gave me some of the greatest gifts of my life and I wonder when the turning point was?  It seems like only a moment lay between heaven and hell, but there were years, many years.  Is it possible to be so close and so far apart?

When you turned and walked away I was terrified, angry, hurt, -- relieved.

Who could have imagined how much better we both would be apart?