The Color of Breath

This week the simple act of breathing has been on my heart.

(trigger warning for those who may have lost someone they love)

A request for prayers for two twins born too early, struggling to breathe on their own,

and my uncle in his 80s, who, after a long, multi-colored life, is nearing the end of his journey. The phone held to his ear— I shared my love, gratitude, and last words with him yesterday—listening to his every breath. My sister said he turned toward the phone, and she believes he heard me.

I do too...

Both moments gave me a renewed, profound appreciation for the gift of life and its entire spectrum from conception to natural death.

Sitting down to think of color for this week's Poetry Friday post, I imagined the air we breathe for the first time. And the shades of color tinged with emotion that we breathe in and out through our lives.

Thank you, God, for the gift of life and breath, and for every color I continue to inhale and exhale.

For the bright and happy ones and the smoky dark ones too. Each of them precious.

May God bless these tiny twins with the gift of breathing on their own and a million colors to taste through their lives.

And may God bless my uncle with each breath he takes,

till at last he is breathless in Your sight.

Amen.

A thoughtful and grateful Poetry Friday to you all.

Please stop by Margaret Simon's blog, Reflections on the Teche, for more lovely poetry.