Since God is love, which is the very best way

mortals can imagine God to be,

 

then you have been surrounded by love and holiness

all your days and beyond. Yes, beyond.

 

If I could tell you the mystery of creation; I would say

it’s within you my lad, grasp it clearly my lad,

 

it’s love again my lad. You hold it my lad; in

all your tenderness and strength, you hold it near.

 

So, be the mystery my lad, keep on loving my lad.

And if we could speak, and somehow I think we can,

 

I would explain how God has known you from the

beginning of all creation, as a single thought and more.

 

Such is the mystery of being and love, of God’s longing

for us all; it’s yours my lad, take hold of it my lad.

 

If I could show how love works my lad, I would say

you are love in the making. You are a miracle

 

of love and faith, of prayer and hope. I would tell the story

of how you have bound together person after person,

 

generation within generation, people and souls you

may yet still meet within God’s wonderful realm.

 

I would tell what a gift you are and continue to be

to family, friend, and unknown unnamed strangers who

 

prayed for your bright young life and dear old soul.

You are a blessing of God, a gift meant to bring us

 

home to ourselves in the wonder of it all; in the wonder

of life, of life itself, the gift of life.

 

Your are a blessing that transcends us all, that God has

given us each in a unity of love.

 

You are more than flesh and blood and breath, more than

we may imagine or see, more than mortal form may know.

 

So grasp it dearly my lad, be proud my lad, lay it all

out my lad, then let it go with love's finest blessing;

 

because this my lad, is being my lad, the

gift God gives us all. You are that gift.

 

If I could speak to you of the soul; I would say

that yours is strong my lad, treasure it my lad.

 

Be glad of it my lad; yours is a mighty soul,

new as the earth was once young,

 

and older still -- as the stars above Jerusalem and

this ancient earth are older still -- than memory can tell.

 

If I could tell you of love’s gift; I would say

that it’s yours my lad, you have it my lad.

 

You are gentle as the breath of God’s Holy Spirit that gave

and gives us being itself my lad, breathe deep my lad.

 

 

 

 

 

Ron Starbuck

Copyright 2012

 

 

 

For our whole family, for Jenny my niece, David her husband, Colton and Sadie my great (grand) nephew and niece, and our extended family of in-laws and close friends.  Thank you everyone for taking this journey with us.  Peace.