by L.C.

Created on: April 07, 2009

Gifts

As my fingers twitch in irritation,
I realize that this gift is anything
But nicely wrapped.
Bows askew, paper torn,
Adhesive tape littering
The floor, my hair, my hands.
This package was not
Neatly wrapped
With curly ribbons,
Shimmering paper,
And a rose-scented envelope.
No, this gift is grouchy,
Stubborn, aggressive
And cruel.
I utter "yes", he swears "no",
And he throws
A black sheet over my
White canvas,
Upon which I'm painting
An arrow pointing
Upwards.
He takes the easel
And flips it upside down.
Infuriated,
I eye this dreadful gift,
Wondering why I bothered
Opening it in
The first place.
He smirks, undaunted,
And for a moment I
Swear I'll lose all patience.
My heart is stuck
Pulsing in my throat,
My balled fists shake,
And my face turns scarlet.
Yet as I learn of patience,
Of understanding,
Of recognizing the lesson that
Each person brings us,
My face pales, my fists unclench,
And my heart returns
To settle back in my chest,
Where it beats with appreciation
For this difficult, difficult person.
I've learned acceptance,
And I've improved on waiting
And calming myself.
I've earned a gift,
A precious gift.
The kind that can only be found
When dealing with
Particularly difficult people.

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