FINDING PEACE BY RELEASING THE THOUGHTS OF A LOVED ONE

The daily conversations with a loved one  

become cherished memories that never fade.  

Each morning, the first instinct is to reach for the phone,  

to hear the voice of that one dear soul.  

And before night falls, you cannot rest  

without sharing words with the same beloved presence.  

That person may be a spouse, a close friend, a child,  

or a member of your family near or far.  

Whoever they are, once your thoughts remain fixed on them,  

their absence reshapes your emotions,  

leaving your very being unsettled when they suddenly vanish from your world.  

No matter how hard one tries to silence the thoughts of the departed,  

they linger stubbornly, refusing to leave.  

Yet somehow, we must learn to release them,  

lest our minds suffer endlessly under their weight.  

Oh, my dear one—why could you not resist nature’s call  

and remain here with me?  

Did I hear you say it was beyond your strength to hold on?  

At least a final message could have been left  

before nature claimed its victory.  

I spoke with you face-to-face barely ten hours  

before you embarked on that inevitable journey.  

My dear brother, where are you now?  

When will you return from this torturous path?  

Show me a sign of your dwelling place,  

so I may find peace in this weary world  

and prepare myself when the Creator calls.  

I was reaching for the phone that dark night  

when another call came—  

announcing your departure.  

For a moment, the world collapsed.  

I stood frozen, speechless,  

like a child blinded by sudden light,  

waiting for his guardian’s return.  

All I felt was the extinguishing of the midnight sun.  

Where are you, dear one?  

Will I ever see you again?  

What joy remains for me as your brother  

if reunion never comes?  

Come to me swiftly, in any way you can.  

And when you return,  

remain forever my beloved.

-In memory of my late brother Chidiebere Nathaniel ENWEMEKA