And Yet This Happened to Me

I took motherhood seriously

I took nothing for granted

I was always thankful

for what I had,

and yet this happened to me.

I chose to stay with them,

live through their lives closely,

put my own aspirations

on hold 'til they'd grown,

and still,this happened to me.

My life was spent caring

for two lovely daughters

who made my life special

in so many ways.

One day she was living,

alive,well and thriving.

The next she was gone

to a life we can't share.

I'm learning to struggle

through life and the grieving,

to find ways of being

that bring wholeness and peace,

and live with what happened to me.

Genesse Gentry from her book Stars in the Deepest Night

In:Marie Levine. First You Die,2004,pages 14-15