Journey of Hearts

I see your eyes,
one final glance as you look back at me,
and we both know it is time.
Although I swore
I would never have to let you go
It's a promise I cannot keep.

I need to live
and you need to grow.

My heart folds back onto itself
And I just bend my knees and lower my center
To withstand the buffet of the winds
That will blow by me,
and through me
Without you standing there to shelter me.

The tether is cut,
and you are free to fly
and I lose an anchor,
and my cheeks burn,
from the icy wind
and the few tears that sneak past the wall
That I am leaning on
so that I can stand
and watch you go.

And someday soon I think
I will find a haven
Where I can cry the tears
And let the salt water cleanse the wounds
So they can begin to heal
But now is not the time.

One hand raised
I salute you
With a wave of good-bye
Wishing you all the blessings of this earth
And when we meet again
it won't be the same
But we will always know

How much we loved
and trusted
and shared
Victories, losses, adventures
and just the passage of time.

Look back no more
Eyes to the future
And I will just stand here
and watch you go.
 
 

Hello. I read the poem, I watch you Go while I was on Journey of Hearts and I want to thank you. As I read this poem I could see me.

To explain a little more: I am 22 yrs old and I have always been "Daddy's little girl." I looked up to my dad very much. For me he was my dad, mom and my Best friend. We were very close. In May he suffered from a Massive Heart Attack and was awaiting a heart Transplant. At that time I decided to pack my 2 children, leave my life behind, and go to him to make sure everything for my dad would be taken care of.

He lived at the hospital for 3 months while waiting for a heart. This was very hard for the both of us because he was a very strong willed man. He worked for 37 yrs and he was only 52 when this happened, but it also made us even closer because we had to stick together.

In July he started having strokes and it got to a point where there was nothing more the doctors could do. So I had to make the hardest decision in my life--that was to let my dad go. He knew what was going on and this made it even harder to deal with.  I will never forget one of the last things my dad said to me:

"Di, it is time. You're strong. Just un plug this and let me go. I love you."
 

Diana Lerch

I have so enjoyed your website, "Journey of Hearts"!  It has been a great source of strength for me since the death of my Dad in September.
One particular poem especially touched me, as it seems to relate to my feelings and experience almost exactly!  I had read "I watch you Go" over and over.
You see, my Dad and I were so much more than Dad and Daughter.  We were soul mates, through and through.  He suffered a three month battle with pancreatic cancer, which, while it is so very sad, it enabled us to become even so much closer.  I moved into my parents home the last month of his life.  I know that the hardest part of facing his death was his worry of what would happen to his loved ones.  He was especially worried about me, because of our closeness.  On the afternoon of his death, 2 hours before God took him home, I was standing at his bedside, and as always, his heart was breaking because of my tears.  As I could not bear to hurt him anymore, I kissed him on the forehead, and told him I would be okay....and told him to go to sleep now.  I continued to check on him throughout the next few hours, as he peacefully slept.  Ten minutes before his departure, I was standing by his bedside, feeling assured that we had at the most a few more days.  I turned around, took 10 steps, and my sister came running to me, with the news that he was gone!  I knew that could not be true, because I had Just left him!!!  By the time I got to him, I heard his last sigh.  I was angry that I did not have that opportunity to walk him through the tunnel into eternal life!  Throughout my grief, I have come to understand, that my Maker knew me well enough to know, that that would have been much too hard on me!
Although every part of me misses him every second of everyday, I am at peace knowing he is in paradise.  And, I know that he is still very much with us.  There are times, when the feeling is so strong, it is as if he is right in my head telling me how to go on!!
I shared this so that it may in some way be able to help someone else who is trying to let go, and begin the healing process!! Letting go of a loved one is so very hard, but knowing they are in Heaven and happy, does indeed help to ease our sorrow!
With my sincere thanks for your wonderful website!!! There are days when it is truly my salvation!!
Sincerely,