July 28, 2019

13 WAYS  OF  WONDERING  

ABOUT  A  TISSUE  

A dad saw his brother in

a casket that day - and it

was such a sudden death -

and he reached for a tissue.

A mom saw her oldest - whom

she thought was so selfish - give

her youngest - the last piece of cake

and she reached for a tissue.

A family were at the airport

waiting for their grandmother

whom nobody has seen in 25 years

and each reached for a tissue.

A grandfather never cried in 25 years -

but he did cry at his grandson’s one

year anniversary  of sobriety in AA

and he reached for a tissue.

A great grandmother was at the baptism

of her first great-granddaughter and

she didn’t think she’d make it

and she reached for a tissue.

A guy went to confession for the first

time in 38 years and told it all and

the priest was great and he came out

and he reached for a tissue.

A dad was handed the first chocolate

chip cookie his daughter ever made

and it was burnt and horrible

and he reached for a tissue.

A 55 year old man received

a kidney from a total stranger -

but they were a perfect match

and his wife reached for a tissue.

A son gave his dad’s eulogy

and nobody had a clue how much

he loved his dad till then and

everyone reached for a tissue.

A mom and dad who never went

to church - did this time because

their daughter was the reader and they

sat there and each reached for a tissue.

A brother was at church and the gospel

that Sunday was the story of the prodigal

son and he realized he was the older

brother and he reached for a tissue.

A  dad saw his daughter graduate

from Princeton - and she was the first kid

in the family who went to college

and he reached for a tissue.

A garbage man got his first book

of poems published and at the

book signing at Barnes and Noble

his wife reached for a tissue.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2019