What Love Is

This is what love is:
A girl born in December
sharing DNA and stealing our hearts
with a burp, a smile, a kiss, and finally
the words we waited to hear, I love you.

This is what love is:
Watching her bloom and grow;
her quiet, shy ways; her beauty that began
inside and shone like a beacon wherever
she went, a heart bigger than her body,
caring for every person she met, making
friends that would last a lifetime, and making
us more proud each day.

This is what love is:
The fear of the teen years and letting her go
one small step at a time, even though
we wanted to hold on so tight. Driving,
dating, school dances, events and clubs,
slumber parties, pool parties, friends,
graduation, a job at Progressive, then she
was out on her own.

This is what love is:
Meeting the man of her dreams and watching
them together. Watching him love her in ways
we recognize; the way he looks at her, the way
he holds her hand, the way he thinks of her first.
A tall, handsome, hard-working man who also
honors us as her parents, allows us to get to know
and care about his family as they become
a cherished part of ours.

This is what love is:
Jeni and Tom going to an island, getting married
on a beach of white sand, promising to love
each other forever, and knowing what that means.
They know that there’s sunshine, but also rain;
that things won’t always be as perfect as they are today
but they know they can weather any storm and that
heaven can be - right here on earth.