The last day of summer

The last day of summer

The last day of summer Our last barbecue of the year Your last swim in the ocean. The sun shone warm and bright until summer took flight that night And we watched the darkness descend as the season abruptly came to an end.

And that was the week that our sunflower died; my son’s flower that he had planted with pride and watched as it grew so majestic and tall, climbing above the fence and the wall As it always sought to see further, to look deeper, to face the rays of the sun, Always looking beyond the place from where it had come. It was strong and firmly rooted and full of beauty And every time we came home it was there looking out, A quiet but confident welcoming shout that echoed throughout our little neighbourhood and beyond… And then, that week, the bright petals were gone.

And I find myself standing outside in the rain with tears on my face as I feel the pain That has landed upon my community and beyond, as we remember a vibrant friend who has suddenly gone And we don’t know why. I look at the withered leaves and petals and I cry And I remember before those dark days of September The friend who lived and loved and dreamed and created Tenacious and bold and motivated by faith and love and music and art And he wasn’t afraid to follow his heart. Creativity and inclusivity were in his DNA. I watched and I noticed and I myself grew and began to feel safe around his unconditional love for his family, and without any words he showed and encouraged me To keep walking. Keep climbing. Keep looking beyond the place from which we have come, Keep searching and turning our face to the sun. Keep loving, even when it hurts Keep looking for beautiful flowers in the dirt And one day, in the midst of the pain You will begin to see beauty again Because blossom always returns.