WHAT IS MY REASON?

In my youth, Hope was the reason I started my day.

Hope for a brighter future propelled me forward.

Hope is why I went to work every day.

Hope is why I made plans for a future.
Hope brought me joy.

Hope got me involved with life and living.

Hope was my reason for breathing.

Hope was my reason for everything.

Then I met Pat.

He became the reason I started my day.

He was the reason I went to work.

He became my reason for living.

He was my reason for moving forward.

He was my reason for laughing, loving and doing.

He was my reason for making plans for the future.
He brought me joy.

He was my reason for everything.

Then came the children.

They too became my reason I started my day.

Children were my reason for getting up.

Children were my reason I went to work every day.

They were my reason for getting involved with life.

Children were my reason for joy.

Children were my reason for making plans for the future.

Children and Pat were my reason for everything.

Then the children moved on with lives of their own.
My reason for motherhood went when the youngest left our home.

Pat, again, was my reason for getting up every day.

He was my reason for giving, doing, loving and laughing.

He was the reason I made plans for the future.
He was the reason for the joy in my life.

He was my reason for everything.

Now he is gone.

The children have moved on.

Hope can be hard to see.

So I find myself asking, what is my reason today?  

What reason do I get up?

What reason do I go to work?

What reason do I look forward to a future?
What reasons do I search for joy in my life?

What reason do I do anything?

If I spend my days looking back, 

then I am unable to see a future, 

except for growing old alone.  

I don’t like that thought.  

There must be a reason.  

I’m still searching.  

Who knows, maybe there is still Hope.

I read this to my daughter and she said, "Mom, I have an answer for you."

"You do?" I asked.  "What is your answer?"

"You, Mom are the reason", she said.  "Simply you."

I'm still thinking on this one.  Don't know if I am enough.  I want it to be...