Another Lifetime

Love is the most powerful force. It harbors a whole spectrum of gentleness and passion, and of cherishing and of longing in it, all woven together intricately within us. But apart from the universally desired forms of love, one of its forms often goes underappreciated- the love of friendship. Unlike bonds of family that we are born with, unlike bonds of romance that build us up when we grow older, friendships are the connections we choose for us and the trust that we ourselves decide to put in someone else. The force of love is electric, comforting, and forever important to everyone to actually stay positive. This poem is an ode to friendship, friendship of not just two people, but of entire lifetimes and even beyond those lifetimes.

She was born on the same day as me
The daughter of my mom’s best friend
A fairy tale for them both indeed
Their daughters, in a bond like theirs destined.
And she was to me
What my mother was to hers
A pillar, a support, a sister almost
A fire that would always make her feel so free.
And their little girls were exact images of them
With our pigtails swinging back and forth in the park
Where our mommies sat together and drank tea
While we would search for roses with a thorn-less stem.
Weekends would be the best days
When all us four girls used to watch a movie together
With popcorn and burgers and candy
And memories that would keep us smiling for days.
But fast forward, and soon enough the time came
When our mothers were replaced
By our aging selves
And we became the mothers, who no force could tame!
We thought we were so wild!
Adventurous and brave
Taking all risks we ever wanted to
Together, no matter who our lives riled.
But slowly, those garden dates and movie nights
Were replaced by hospitals and old age homes
Because alas my son and her daughter
Didn’t exactly see eye to eye as we hoped.
And now, after all those years have gone by too,
I find myself holding back my tears
For you have gone somewhere beyond I can see
In a world where you have no fears.
But I miss seeing your face every chance I could,
I long for the conversations we had
I crave your presence whenever I needed you
And your bitter scoldings when I don’t do things that I should.
But I know now that this is how my mother must’ve felt
When your mother left her alone after a lifetime together
With her hand missing your mother’s
And eyes glistening as all their memories she spelt.
No, I won’t cry, for I had given you a promise
And however hard it may be, I will keep my word
And search for you in every star on every night
Hoping, that in another lifetime, I can meet you and love you again.