How We’re Loved

It’s been a rough few weeks/months amongst many of my friends living with Stage IV Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC) and reflecting on the hardships and the losses has occupied a great deal of my thinking recently. I wanted to share a poem that has been meaningful to me as I process the losses, the trauma, the suffering. There’s no wise, sage wisdom to be found here, just a reminder to return to expressing love whenever possible and don’t wait to say the words that show others what they mean to you.

Don’t wait til I’m gone
And then stand up to speak
About all the things
That you loved about me

Don’t sing all my praises
Through all of your tears
When I am no longer
Beside you to hear

Don’t leave all that love
Like a secret unsaid
But tell me tomorrow
Or right now instead

And I’ll tell you too
Of the things I admire
About who you are
And how much you inspire

I’ll speak from my heart
Whilst you’re still here to know
“You are” not “you were”
Or “it used to be so”

I’ll speak of your light
Whilst you’ll still hear the words
And not leave that love
In the darkness, unheard

So tell me tomorrow
Or right now – don’t wait
Because we don’t know
When it might be too late

Because we don’t know
When our time might be up
And we need to hear – while we are here –
How we’re loved

---

Becky Hemsley 2024
Beautiful artwork by Akira Kusaka Illustration

‘Tell Me Tomorrow’ is a poem from Words to Remember (https://www.beckyhemsley.com)

Also, check her out on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18bmikT1n5/?mibextid=wwXIfr