To my readers who are wives, mothers, grandmothers, and followers of Jesus: may the love, courage and wisdom of Mary, be your example; may the strength, protection and faithfulness of Mary’s husband be your experience; may the love, gratitude and esteem shown Mary by her son, Jesus, bring you the same joy from your children to complete every day. Getting ‘words of the heart’ to where you can see and hear how we really feel about you is not always easy. But I took a chance. And she liked it. Happy Mother’s Day. —WT

 

Words of the Heart

written to Dixie on Mother’s Day, 1987

 

 

My mind lets go of countless things

and times and dates like golden rings

are sometimes lost amid the press

of madding crowd and frenzied stress

Of another day.

 

Things I want to say to you

left unspoken still are true

and should be shared along the road

as we pause to shift the load

In this month of May.

 

“I love you,” seems so worn out, trite,

and yet expresses all I might

wish to say if only I could

create the words with which I should

Pave your way.

 

To make life smoother for you, dear,

to shield from pain, to wipe each tear

is my sole aim, my chief desire,

the highest gift I can aspire

To give today.

 

You are my heart, my hope, my friend,

my joy, my light, there is no end

to what you bring, to how you serve,

to whom you love, to when you care,

So always stay.

 

Close beside me throughout life,

be my star, my crown, my wife,

reach out your hand and let me touch

fingers that have giv’n so much

And let us pray.

 

That God will keep your course a’right

and see you through the darkest night,

that when the winds blow ‘round you more,

you’ll find my love a sheltered shore …

Happy Mother’s Day.

 

May Jesus keep us close.