My Assumption of Love

   My Assumption of Love

by Pamela M. Graul-Gwizdala

All the days of my life

I assumed; I knew what love was

When my mother held me in her arms, hugged and kissed me

I assumed; I knew what love was

When my grandmother served me warm milk and cookies

I assumed; I knew what love was

When my mother unselfishly gave us children her food

I assumed; I knew what love was

When my puppy licked my face as she wagged her tail

I assumed; I knew what love was

When my father ran beside me as I rode my bicycle

I assumed; I knew what love was

When my mother dried the tears and placed a band-aid on my knee

I assumed; I knew what love was

When my parents helped me purchase my first car

I assumed; I knew what love was

When a boy kissed and held me in his arms while we danced

I assumed; I knew what love was

When a man asked me to marry him at the age of nineteen

I assumed; we knew what love was

When we made a promise through our vows to love, honor and cherish

I assumed; we would love each other forever

When I held my first child in my arms and gazed into her eyes

I assumed; I knew what love was

When I rocked and read stories to my children

I assumed; I knew what love was

When my husband and I were legally divorced

I assumed; we had forgotten what love was

When I held my nineteen-year-old daughter’s hand

in the Emergency Room

I assumed; I knew what love was

When I compassionately expressed to her,

“I will take care of you no matter what your condition”

I assumed; I knew what love was

When I caressed my daughter’s forehead and whispered

“I know you want to go Home to the Lord and it’s OK”

I assumed; I knew what love was

When I remembered my daughter wanted to donate her organs

I assumed; she always knew what love was

When we signed the Gift of Life's  documents

so her life would go on  in the way

I assumed; we understood what love was

When I painfully walked away from my daughter’s bedside

And said my last good-bye

I assumed; I had lot her love forever

When I learned her kidneys and liver were given

to two mothers and  a father

I assumed; her enduring love lives on

When she gave to the Gift of Life

I know she gave the Gift of Love