“I love you as big as a house,” we say. He loves us
“as big as a building that Spiderman would stand
on top of and swing from rope to rope to rope,”
and he’s off – demonstrating the rope swing across the room
and down the hall, and somehow he’s forgotten
what he started saying. He loves us so much
that he forgets all about us to swing from
rope to rope through the house.
This is the love of a 4-year old. Until last night,
when he showed me that he loved me as much as he could stretch
his arms wide like a hug and then around his back;
basically encompassing his whole known world – and that is some
big love. Then he topped it off with, “I love you as loud as my fingers
can snap” and proceeded to snap his fingers and nearly wake
the baby. That too is some mighty big love that made me cry.
As we start summer in a year when things are looking glum,
the economy is tanking, gas prices are hiking, natural disasters
are on the rise, and it’s all starting to look a little apocalyptic;
doomsayers are in their element, it is up to us to stop the noise
and enjoy a summer splash in the kiddy pool with little ones
who cannot understand the fears of grown-ups. Take hints
from youngsters who see this as the time for ice-cream
and lollipops – for runs through sprinklers and fireworks at 4th of July.
Let’s barbeque with the best of them, and hold our friends
and families close – together we can weather this storm.
With big love and loud snaps we can make it through anything!
© June 23, 2008 – Liesl Garner
The above poem was written for the Fresno County Women’s Chamber of Commerce as a Great Start for the June 24, 2008 Member Meeting.
The Great End was:
Whatever doesn’t end us – will make us stronger. The lessons we learn during a slow season will only stand to benefit us greatly when business improves. So, every step through this downward cycle is something that we can build on today as well as tomorrow. Let’s keep our eyes open for opportunities to grow, to be strong for one another and to rise above hard times. Let’s smile all the more (all the louder) because our attitude is one thing we can control.
Photo of snapdragon from here.
(Originally posted June 23, 2008)
lovely!!