You were a light inside of me

As you grew, so did my love for you.

You were butterflies, taking flight,

spreading your wings, until you reached the very heart of me.

You were dreams and life unfolding, within a wondrous world,

I could not for all my trying recollect.

Only with my imagination,

 could I travel to the place you were then residing.

The miracle of life never ceases to amaze me.

God gifted me with you!

As you grew, I carried you with me everywhere.

I spent months talking to you, before I ever saw your face.

I held you so dear to me, so close to my heart,

long before I ever held you in my arms.

You were an image in my mind.

You were engraved upon my heart,

long before you were born.

How blessed I am that God gifted me with such a treasure.

How blessed I am that God chose me to be the room

In which you would live,

The doorway you would travel through

to enter this world from heaven.

It was so wonderful to finally hold you in my arms.

All the while knowing that only a short time ago,

You were in the presence of God,

Being cradled in the arms of angels.

My dearest son, you are a constant joy to me.

From the first moment I held you and looked into your face,

I have known a love and pride that I have never known before.

Now you are getting older, you are already so big!

You fill me with as much wonder and amazement,

As you have for the world around you.

You make it impossible for me to ever take for granted,

all that I have to be thankful for.

You are always just as close to my heart,

As you were when you lived right beside it.

You are still so often the cause of butterflies within me.

These butterflies soar with your expectations.

They flutter whenever I see your excitement for something grow.

These butterflies dance within me,

When I am happy to see you, or happy for you.

Perhaps these butterflies remember the days

 when you were small enough to dance with them.

Or perhaps they still carry some of that life

upon their gossamer wings.

I know that for the rest of our days,

I will always love and cherish you.

I will always feel so much joy and pride,

Watching you grow and learn,

as you discover this wonderful world around us.

I will always get those excited feelings

for your triumphs and achievements.

And I know, I will always have

a particular fondness for

butterflies.

Written for my son, Raymond.

KEP  8/25/00