Love of Your Life

A fairy tale says you've met the prince

who makes you feel like the queen.

It says you kissed him; he's yours.

It says you rode off into the sunset,

and you'll live happily ever after.

But how do you know that the man

you say I do to will be

the love of your life in the end?

How do you know that your love

won't be the one who made you smile

after 36 hours of the hardest labor,

the one who cried in your arms,

wrapped in a little pink blanket?

How do you know that your love

won't grab your finger

with her whole hand because

just one finger is too small?

How do you know that your love

won't be the little girl

whose first word was mommy?

I don't know what the man

you said I do to is like.

I don't know if you really do,

or if he really does.

But I can guarantee that

long after he moves out

and lives 3000 miles away from you

or finds someone else's lips refreshing

and you decide enough is enough,

that little girl will be your love.

That little girl will wipe your tears

the way you wiped hers

when she was little.

When you grow older

and lose your memory,

she'll remind you of herself,

of your little sister,

of everyone but her dad,

because as much as she loves him,

she doesn't want to remind you

of the hurt you felt with him.

She'll kiss you goodnight,

tuck you in like you did her,

and she'll sing you a lullaby,

because although she doesn't like to sing,

she wants you to sleep well.

And you'll remember the time

you thought your life became complete

when you said I do,

and you'll laugh.

You'll realize life was never complete

until you met your little love

who ran around the house in diapers

and begged you to give her allowance

so she could shop for heeled shoes,

who spared your feelings

by not reminding you

of her own beloved dad.

You'll tear up, and she'll

wipe your tears away.

You'll hold her close,

and she'll whisper in your ear,

"I love you so much that

my heart isn't even big enough."

And she'll be worth the

heartache with your ex,

the 36 hours of labor,

and the constant sleepless nights,

because her love is so much more.

Author's Note

Written in 2016