Sometimes someone will give you the miraculous gift of their friendship and company but the pain in their disappearance makes it hard to remember what a gift it was. I am guilty of disappearing sometimes too. I think for the most part we pretty much all are doing the best we can with what we got, but oh, those fickle hearts.
Anyway, a framed copy of Emily Dickinson’s poem, “If I Could Stop One Heart from Breaking,” ripped out from a Good Housekeeping, Family Circle, or some other similar magazine of the time, hung up in my childhood bedroom from as long back as I can remember. Though I don’t think we can keep hearts from breaking, I do believe we can be more careful with them.
If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.
~ Emily Dickinson
m.m., 23 February 2016