Throughtnout the day
here on
earth
sounds are
abundant
Voices
music
honking
Birds spiriting
through the sky
announcing
themselves
at our window sill
The phone
rings
the jet
rumbles
the thunder
claps
Even silence
in
its
own way
can be heard
But
there is
no other
sound
more welcomed
than
their return
through
the front
door
of our house
The key
jingles
the door
knob
turns
For a
neighbor
it might be
son
or daughter
satchel in hand
back
from overseas
Back
from defying death
Embraced and held —
For us
it
is
also
a
child
back
though
only
from outside
We listen
intently
We are the
mom
and the
dad
Our ears
are fierce
It is instinct
We listen
even as we
sleep
We listen
to make
sure
our child
comes home
safe
To unfurl
her hair
before
lying down
To stretch
his arms and
shoulders
before
sinking into
the
bed
Nothing
sounds better
than when
our
children
return
at the
conclusion
of
each
day
We know
in time
they will
leave
They must
But I swear
to you
even then
we still hear
the door
open
and
close
Even then
because
our hearts
hear
what our mind
wants
There is
no
greater
sound
It is
the
sound of our
children
alive
and returning
vibrant
and
precious
I
found
a treasure
chest
Opened it
looked in
with
great excitement
there
were
photographs
of our kids
with
notes and
cards
pieces of the
puzzle when
they
were
so young
Spent hours
but seemed
like
minutes
When
my time
comes
the last sound
I want
to hear
Lord
is the door
opening
I will let go
when I know
they have
come back
at the end
of the day
Let me
please
hear the door close
To know
with
my
last breath
indeed
they
are
home