A man showed up on my doorstep today
He had a kind smile,
and in his blue eyes I could see the secrets of the deepest oceans
He had a package I wasn't expecting
and as I stared at it, I couldn't speak
The package was water-stained,
torn at the edges,
and covered in tape from various attempts at keeping it from falling apart
I didn't want to touch it
It looked so vulnerable,
and it couldn't possibly be for me
But in those knowing eyes and that gentle smile,
I could see a challenge and hear a call that I never thought could arrive at my doorstep
So I held my hands out
and he placed the package in my palms
I could feel its warmth reach the darkest places of my soul
I could feel the drum,
da-dum, da-dum, da-dum,
of the countless hearts before me as they matched my own
On the package's rough surfaces,
I could feel our journeys through heaven and hell
But for the first time in my life,
I knew I wasn't alone
And for the first time in my life,
I had something to hold onto
I couldn't speak
but the man said "thank you" and began to walk away
I stood there, frozen,
with my package that was so old, yet so new
and all of the things I wanted to say but was unable to
I wanted him to know that this meant more to me thank anything else ever could
But maybe he did know,
and maybe he understood
because I felt his wings brush against my fingertips as he left
11/22/14