Day 105

A dear friend once told me that the saddest poem she ever had read, was a mere 5 words in length.

Upon welcoming their first child into the world, my friend and her husband found themselves buried beneath an avalanche of well wishes.

This was before the social media boom, mind you, so the majority of greetings came via gifts, cards, and the occasional phone call.

One letter, however, is imprinted in both her and her husbands minds of o this very day.

It was from a man that neither had told of the expecting child.

Be not mistaken, the decision to withhold news of their expanding family had not been an act of cruelty, but mercy.

They each loved the man dearly, who had even been at their wedding.

However, in recent years, he had suffered losses so great as to crush the hearts of any who might hear it.

Neither husband nor wife, now mother and father, had wanted to flaunt their fortune in the face of their friend still in mourning.

So both had elected instead to spare the man, until time might permit a more opportunity.

The hand written envelope attached to a gift wrapped box, dashed any hope that their ruse was believed.

The husband opened the gift. As he did so, each of his chestnut eyebrows raised in surprise. 

His face then fell as he read, re-read and read again the attached instructions. He imprinted the notes message unto the forefront of his mind.

He then looked to the most important people in his life, raised the newly unwrapped gift and snapped a candid photo.

My friend was only slightly annoyed, having been caught in an unflattering post labour pose. 

Yet all petty anger was forgotten, when he handed her their poor old friend's words.

A man who'd once been where they now were. Who had seen his way through late night feedings and early morning changes, and many memories far and away. A wretched soul who knew what it was to have what they both had and lose it all only an instant after; his words would echo through to the ends of both their lives:

"Remember to take some pictures"