Notes

it is this; the hundreds of little notes I find hidden in my bag

Notes
          after James Crews, Tablet

It could be the way he drives to the store 
in the cold winter night to buy me orange
juice and natural immune boosters when 
I refuse any other medicine. Or how he
prepares me a bath with candles, hot tea, 
and a rag soaked in ice water. Even the 
daily morning greeting when I come out 
of my room, my head to his chest, ready 
for a second sleep. But it is this; 
the hundreds of little notes I find hidden  
in my bag whenever I leave on retreat, 
or prepare for a big occasion. Cursive 
blessings like curls of his hair I hold in 
between my fingers. The way he reminds 
me, with such thoughtfulness, of how 
loved I am, never insisting on its return,
neither asking for acknowledgment.
Selfless as the sun that daily brightens 
my heart, even when he’s not there. 

- Moudi Sbeity

Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash

There are poems you read that you feel are describing your life exactly. This is how it felt when I read Tablet by James Crews (from his book Bluebird). It felt like stepping into a reflection of my own relationship. This is the beauty of poetry - we offer witness to each other even when we don’t know it, or else offer an opportunity to imagine our lives differently. How might you show up for your beloved with thoughtfulness? In what ways does your beloved show their care?