Love?

Everyone looks for it, I suppose. Everyone

hopes they find it.

But I think some people miss it

because it's not what they expect.

 

Sometimes it's the warmth

 of a hug

or the sweater from grandma

or from the sun as you sit in the park:

     are we too old to swing?

     I don't think we are, you say.

 

Sometimes it's an ache

from hoping

or in your back from carrying your little brother

or when you stand in your nice clothes:

     goodbye, you say,

  and you wish they could say it back, just one last time.

 

Love looks different than people expect.

It's not just Mom's perfect biscuits

     but Dad's that have so much baking powder they're bitter.

It's not just Dad's help with your chemistry homework,

     but Mom's with your math.

It's their advice

     and their insistence that you

          Clean Your Room, Now.

 

Love isn't just me doting on you

     Or your arm around me

But the laughing that we do

and the support between us:

     I had a bad day, you tell me,

     I thought that was it, I say, how can I help?

Love is in our hands--

 not only when we hold each other's 

 but when you write me a note:

     I hope you know I'm glad we're friends

 and when we high five

 and make pie for no reason, except that we want it

 or when we're cleaning up garbage in the park.

Love hangs around, too, while we talk:

     I'm upset at you, I say,

      I'm upset at you too.

     Can we talk about this?

      Yes.

 

Love is the light

in someone's face when they smile

or on top of a birthday candle

or from the stars as we walk:

     thanks for seeing the movie with me, you say

     you're welcome, I say, I had a lovely time.

 

You might expect love to just happen

but it doesn't, it can't

   It's a choice

   It's cooperation

   It's working through the hard

   It's working through the good

 

Love looks different than you might expect—

    It's me holding a door

   and you helping me from the car.

Respect.

   It's you starting the laundry

   and me starting the dishwasher

 and us putting everything away together.

We're a team, you and me

  and I think we're winning!

     not like that one time

     in the three-legged race:

         that was a bad race, you say.

          yes it was.

 

Love looks just like itself:

     I love you, I say

     yeah?

     yeah.

     I love you too.