HERE ONE MOMENT

Here one moment and gone the next,
Such a brief life with which we are blessed,
“How did this happen?” we ask, perplexed,
“Could no one help her? Did no one suspect?”

We recognize its ravages, know well its ways,
We see the risks and are often afraid,
But when one amongst us slips silently away,
We gasp and fret, alarmed and dismayed.

It seems so shallow, meaningless, cliché,
To offer our condolences – but what else can we say?
This cruel illness to which we are chained every day,
Shatters our peace, steals our loved ones away.

The grief is stifling, difficult to bear,
Surprising, shocking, comes out of nowhere,
We weep and mourn, light a candle, say a prayer,
And wonder if deep down, she knew how much we cared.

People pass through our lives, just a name and a face,
And we barely pause to appreciate their beauty and grace,
Catch only a glimpse of their heartache and pain,
A lightning-quick flash of how they struggled in vain.

We see but pieces and not the whole,
Of a life well-lived, a glorious soul,
We long to connect and strive to do more,
But we are barely surviving, and so, we fall short.

Still, we mourn the losses of those who like us,
Fought to keep fighting and never gave up,
We praise their endurance and lift up the cup,
Toast their brave front and express our remorse.

But how do we process the anguish we feel?
How do we make sense, move forward, and heal?
Moreover, how do we handle the horror and fear,
That perhaps one day soon we, too, will disappear?

What if the candle burns next for me?
Will lovingly, kindly remembered I be?
My tortured body finally set free?
My tormented mind at last granted peace?

Will the world pause a moment to acknowledge my fate?
Will it notice my absence, feel the vast emptied space?
Will my words and my deeds then more fully resonate?
Will they understand the cause to which myself I dedicate?

Will my life have meant something to someone, to all?
Or will my passion and devotion to answer the call,
And raise my voice for those on whom misfortune befalls,
On cold hearts, darkened souls, and deaf ears at last fall?

Few answers, I fear, small comfort, just a plea,
That our humanity, our hearts, our totality you see,
And not just our illness, our failings, our needs,
But our striving to live fully, to matter, to succeed.

Here one moment and gone the next,
Such a brief life with which we are blessed,
Take it in, feel the wonder, give it our best,
In the end, hope for peace and mercy and rest.