A Sign of Hope
it all still seems quite surreal
lying beside my lover, friend and spouse
listening to her rhythmic
breaths
our feet gently brushing up together
soft serenity and
peaceful rest
sweetly settling over me
after what felt like
an eternity
of
strife, storms and turmoil
she remains very new
and young to me
though the clock has not stood still
for either of us
proving that any season
is a good time
for new beginnings, for resurrection
a life unwrapping
grave clothes
and walking out of a tomb
with the stench of
death and decay
blown away as by a heavenly wind
there was absolutely
no play book
that saw this adventure unfolding
no prophetic words,
no fictional narrative
simply “you can’t make this up!”
and now she is beside
me day and night
loving, laughing, crying, praying, dreaming
sharing the good and
the bad
the ups and downs, the hard and easy
declining, aging
family members
struggling, unemployed children with children
children that have abandoned
the faith
others that have severed family ties
whatever the hurdle,
the challenge, the obstacle
there is forever a mark of optimism
she is with me, and I
am with her
we are together
while both remembering
there was a day where
mutually
loneliness was our constant companion
but those days are in
our rear-view mirror
while hand in hand we trod a new course
knowing not what
tomorrow may bring
but trusting in God’s goodness and
faithfulness
we breathe in this
clean, dreamlike air
with constant prayers of gratitude
always anticipating
that our love for each other
for Him and others will forever be
a sign of hope.
mark dean cooke,
5/16/25
