Wednesday, February 11, 2015

The Greatest Gift




The Greatest Gift

I always knew this time would come,
From the very instant our eyes first met.
How I loved you then! How I love you now!
I made a promise then, and I will keep that promise now...
You will not suffer from a pain that will not heal;
You will not know the loss of a life remembered, now gone.

It is for me alone to make this decision,
The price for the bright joy and pure laughter
You brought me during the time we shared.
I am the only one who can decide when it is time.
When my hope dies, and my fear rides high,
Just when I need you most, I must let you go.

It is for you alone to tell me when you are ready
For without your guidance, I will not know
When to lay my grief, my guilt, my anger
My sorrow and my selfish heart aside
and give you this last gift, this greatest gift.
You eyes will speak to mine and I will know.

The pain of this moment is excruciating.
Tears stream down my face in a river of sorrow.
And my heart drowns in a pool of grief.
For you have spoken and I have listened,
and unlike other decisions I have made
This one brings no relief...no comfort...no peace.

For if there's one thing you've taught me
If there's only one thing I've learned....
Unconditional love has a condition after all,
I must be willing to let you go, when you speak to me
I must be willing to help you go, if you cannot go alone
And I must accept my pain so you can be free of yours.

Go easily now, go quickly now,
Do not linger here, it is time for you to leave.
Go find your strength, go find your youth
Go find the ones who have gone before you
You are free to leave me now, free to let your spirit soar
Rest easy now, your pain will soon be gone.

I pray I will find comfort in my memories...
in the dark and lonely days ahead.
I cannot say I will not miss you, I cannot say I will not cry.
For only my tears can heal my broken heart.
But I promise you this; as long as I live,
You will live, alive in my mind, forever in my heart.

So I give you this last gift, all I have left to give,
And this will be my greatest gift...sending you away.
It is the measure of my unconditional love....
For only the greatest love can say
"Goodbye, go find the bridge, we'll meet again,
Loving you has been the greatest gift of all."

By Karla Bertram

34 comments:

  1. Extra-special purrs to you today. My human thinks about this often in her own life.

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  2. A purrfect poem.
    Comforting purrs and headbumps for you today.
    Grace was a beautiful kitty.
    Purrs Georgia and Julie,
    Treasure and JJ

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  3. Hugs and purrs to you today. She'll always be with you, close in your heart. Peace.

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  4. That is very beautiful. Sweet , beautiful Grace.

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  5. WE KNOW ANGEL GRACIE IS ALWAYS IN YOUR HEART.
    Hugs madi your bfff

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  6. Aw that was so beautiful xoxo
    ღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!

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  7. It is through tears that I say you are not alone in the heartache. Hugs and purrs to you this day.

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  8. Sending purrs of comfort on this anniversary.
    XOXO

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  9. Tears are streaming down my face as I read this. Sunday will be the 9 year anniversary of my Angel Sashi's passing. I wasn't strong enough to make that last, most important decision and waited too long. I still feel guilty about that.

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  10. Leaky eyes here too. That is so touching and beautiful. Hugs from M and soothing purrs from me.

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  11. Hugs from the human and extra head butts from us today.

    Emma and Buster

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  12. It is beautiful and sad and touching.

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  13. ♥♥♥♥♥
    =^,,^=

    ~~~~~~~

    ♥♥♥♥♥

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  14. This such a beautiful poem, but guaranteed to bring tears. I send my hugs as you remember your beautiful Gracie.

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  15. beautifully written. no easy way to say goodbye and our loved ones stay in our hearts forever ~Rascal and Rocco

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  16. I'm choking up reading this. Sending a hug.

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  17. You couldn't have written it better yourself. It's a gift when the right words appear. Sending hugs as you remember Gracie on this special day.

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  18. Beautiful poem and tribute to Angel Gracie.

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  19. Sending you gentle purrs as you remember your sweet Gracie...

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  20. What a beautiful poem. Lots of purrs for you today. Angelversaries can be tough.

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  21. Sending much love and many hugs....an absolutely beautiful and perfect poem (((hugs)))

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  22. thank you for sharing this with us,
    love
    tweedles

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  23. Sending you soft purrs and love today.
    Marty and Mom

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  24. We send you purrs and hugs this day.

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  25. So beautifully said. We know it represents what all our humans feel when we have to leave. You are in our thoughts and prayers, Debra, as you remember Gracie today. XOCK, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo

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  26. Sending you special purrs and prayers as you remember your sweet Gracie. Hugs.

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  27. Sending lots of (((purrs))) as you remember Gracie ♡♥♡

    XOXO

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  28. Yes, the too greatest gifts we can give to our fur friends is the love and the gift of letting them go. Hugs to you as you do all this remembering. Take Care.

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  29. Dat wuz very bootyful. Weez so sorry yous still hav da pains, and we send yous hugs. Mommy sez dat us social kitties will be membered long after even she and you and all ow hoomans awe gone. Cuz we will furever be a pawt of da bytes and bits dat make up da innewnet. Fur peeps to stumble upon and meet us and learn al 'bout us fwum da beginnin and sharin' da journey we once shared.

    Luv ya'

    Dezi and Lexi

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  30. Angel-versaries are sooooo hard.... HUGS.

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