I Will Remember You

I will remember you
Though we were just a home you happened to be passing thru
And you might not even
remember my name
But the way I feel is still the same
I will remember you.

But before you go
There is something that I really do want you to know
That if things get rough
And you're struggling through
Even years from now—and you don't know what to do
We will still be here.

I fell in love with you
I would never trade a minute of my time with you
And maybe one day
When you're grown on your own
You'll have memories of your time in this happy home
And come back again.

I sometimes picture you
Maybe years from now, at my door, walking through
I see your familiar smile
And whisper your name
I throw my arms around you, so very glad you came
And never let you go.

I'd invite you inside
We'd talk and laugh and hug and try hard not to cry
You'd see your photos
Still hanging on our wall
To tell you that you're remembered often every day
And that you were home.

But it's just a dream
Right now you're so young and don't understand what's happening
I close your suitcase
Love notes buried inside
Hoping you'll see them and know how much you're loved
And it will make you smile.

But I must let you go
No matter how it hurts I'll hide it so you won't know
Because I want you to be happy
I don't want to make you sad
And though chances are that I might never see you again
Please know I loved you so.

The days ahead I dread
Found my daughter just this morning crying in your bed
Found a box of precious Lego
The ones you couldn't touch
With a tear-stained note taped to it from my quiet son
Wanting you back.

Memories flood my head
When I find a tiny sock hiding underneath your bed
I want to kiss your toes
I want to hear you sing
I want to close my eyes and pretend this isn't happening
I want to cry no more.

And so I'll say goodbye
And hope you'll keep a piece of me tucked close inside
And whatever you do
And wherever you go
I just really hope and pray that you will always know
I will remember you.

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The Unwanted Child
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